First Turkish Maritime Missile Nears Mass Production

Turkish firm Roketsan is currently in the final stages of testing its first domestically manufactured maritime missile, Atmaca.

“One last test involving a warhead is left for the Atmaca anti-ship missile before it enters mass production,” Ismail Demir, Defense Industries Presidency (SSB) Chairperson, tweeted today.

He added that Atmaca was test-fired with its own internal inertial navigation unit onboard, independent of the GPS. The missile reportedly has superior capability against electronic warfare (EW).

In development since 2009, ATMACA completed tests in November 2018. A deal for its mass production was signed between the SSB and its manufacturer Roketsan in 2018. The launch control system of the missile was developed by Turkish defense electronics firm ASELSAN, while the fire control system was developed by the Turkish Naval Research Center Command (ArMerKom).

The ATMACA can be fired from fixed or moving targets such as ships. It has a range of up to 250km, hovers low above water and can reach its target both on a linear and a vertical plane. With this feature, the missile can reach a higher altitude when it gets closer to the target and land on a target ship from directly above, according to information provided by Roketsan.

The missile offers mid-course correction and its guidance system is protected against jamming, a feature that places it on the same shelf as the latest European and US –made anti-ship missiles. Its other anologues are the Indian BrahMos and the Russian P-800 Oniks / Yakhont.