(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — A few days ago, Turkey announced the successful test of its domestically developed and turbojet-equipped anti-ship guided missile, “ATMACA”, hitting its target with precision.
The anti-ship guided missile, developed by the local company ROKETSAN, now features the locally produced KTJ-3200 engine by Kale Arge.
ROKETSAN developed the “ATMACA” anti-ship guided missile under under the auspices of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB).
A video shared by the SSB showcased the missile being launched using a mobile launcher in Sinop, a coastal area north of Turkey, accurately striking a target in the Black Sea.
Turkey’s defense industry’s reliance on foreign engines has been successfully overcome with the utilization of locally produced engines by Kale Arge for the “ATMACA” anti-ship guided missile.
The “ATMACA” guided missile, measuring between 4.3 to 5.2 meters in length and weighing 750 kg, boasts a range of 250 km, surpassing the 130 km range of the American-made “Harpoon Block II” anti-ship guided missile.
Additionally, the “Exocet Block III” anti-ship guided missile has a range of 200 km.
For guidance, Turkey’s anti-ship guided missile system utilizes an Inertial Navigation System (INS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), as stated by ROKETSAN, the developer of “ATMACA.”
The missile operates autonomously, maintains a low radar cross-section (RCS), functions in all weather conditions, and can counter various countermeasure systems.
ROKETSAN claims that “ATMACA” has the capability to plan 3D mission profiles, receive target updates, and execute mission-abort via datalink.
Although ROKETSAN has been developing “ATMACA” for ten years, it was only unveiled to the public in 2019.
Last year, Turkey declared its intention to replace the American-made “Harpoon” anti-ship guided missile, currently used on 11 of its warships, with the locally developed “ATMACA.”
This move by the Mediterranean nation reflects its commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in the production of defense systems and components.
The local “ATMACA” anti-ship guided missile is expected to replace over 350 aging American-made “Harpoon” missiles, with integration work anticipated to be completed by 2027.
Turkey is projected to save approximately US$500 million (RM2.25 billion) by replacing the “Harpoon” with the locally produced “ATMACA,” as the cost of the latter is said to be only half of the former.
The Turkish Navy’s frigate-class-I, Meko 200TN-class Barbaros, and Ada-class corvette warships are among those expected to be equipped with the locally developed “ATMACA” anti-ship guided missile.
In late January this year, Indonesia reportedly awarded a contract to its own company, PT Republik Defensindo, to procure 45 “ATMACA” anti-ship guided missiles from Roketsan in Turkey, making Jakarta one of the foreign nations utilizing the anti-ship guided missile. – DSA