IRIA News

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Turkiye has successfully conducted the first-ever underwater test launch of its domestically produced Atmaca anti-ship cruise missile. The milestone event marks a significant leap forward in the country’s naval warfare capabilities and defense industry ambitions.

The test was carried out from the TCG Preveze, a Preveze-class attack submarine, in the Mediterranean Sea. The announcement was made by Turkish Defense Industries Secretary Haluk Gorgun, who expressed pride in Turkiye’s growing defense capabilities.

“Turkish defense industry is moving forward for a fully independent future on land, air, and sea!” Gorgun declared in his official statement.

Although specific technical details about the missile were not disclosed, video footage released to the public showed an encapsulated Atmaca missile being loaded onto the submarine and launched successfully.

Turkiye has been striving to enhance its military self-sufficiency in recent years, reducing reliance on foreign defense technologies. The successful test of a submarine-launched Atmaca missile demonstrates the country’s ability to produce advanced naval weaponry.

The TCG Preveze, from which the missile was fired, is a Turkish attack submarine in service since the 1990s. The vessel has played a crucial role in Turkiye’s efforts to modernize its underwater warfare capabilities. In late 2023, the same submarine was also used to test-fire the AKYA heavyweight torpedo, another domestically developed munition.

Atmaca missile

The Atmaca missile (meaning “Hawk” in Turkish) has been under development by Roketsan, Turkiye’s leading defense manufacturer, since 2009. It was designed as a modern alternative to the U.S.-made Boeing RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile, which has been the standard for naval forces worldwide for decades.

Atmaca is a long-range, precision-strike cruise missile that can be deployed from various platforms. It is designed to target moving and stationary maritime threats as well as fixed ground-based objectives. The Atmaca missile is equipped with a 220-kilogram (485-pound) high-explosive warhead, optimized for blast fragmentation to cause significant damage upon impact. It has a range of 250 kilometers (155 miles), allowing it to engage enemy vessels from a safe distance.

The missile features advanced guidance systems, including an inertial navigation system (INS), a global positioning system (GPS), a barometric altimeter, and a radar altimeter, ensuring precision even in challenging operational conditions.

The Atmaca missile comes in multiple configurations tailored for different military applications. The Submarine-Launched Atmaca has been successfully tested from the TCG Preveze and is capable of underwater deployment.

The Ship-Launched Atmaca is designed for installation on Turkish frigates and corvettes as a standard anti-ship missile. Additionally, the Kara Surface-to-Surface Missile is a ground-launched variant with an extended range, specifically developed to strike land-based targets.

Growing international interest in Atmaca

The Turkish defense industry has been making strides in exporting military hardware, and the Atmaca missile is already gaining international attention. Indonesia became the first foreign buyer of the missile, ordering 45 units for its naval forces. Malaysia also opted to integrate the Atmaca into its littoral mission ships, reinforcing Turkiye’s position as an emerging global player in the defense sector.

The successful underwater launch of the Atmaca missile enhances Turkiye’s naval deterrence in the Mediterranean and beyond. By developing its own advanced anti-ship missile capabilities, Turkiye strengthens its blue-water naval strategy, ensuring it can operate effectively across regional and international waters.

Moreover, the submarine-launched variant of the Atmaca provides Turkish forces with stealthy, hard-to-detect strike capabilities, giving them a significant advantage in naval warfare scenarios.

With the ability to deploy advanced, long-range naval strike weapons, Turkiye is positioning itself as a key player in modern naval warfare technology.

As Turkiye continues to develop and export its domestically produced defense systems, the Atmaca is likely to attract further international interest, cementing its role as a formidable weapon in Turkiye’s growing arsenal.