ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile Transfer to TCG KINALIADA
On February 10, 2023, the Turkish Navy marked a major milestone as the ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile was officially transferred to the MİLGEM TCG KINALIADA (F-514) Corvette. This state-of-the-art national anti-ship missile, developed by Roketsan with domestic resources, has been eagerly awaited by the Turkish Naval Forces for years. The equipping of the TCG KINALIADA Corvette with the ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile means that the Turkish Navy’s dependence on the US-made HARPOON Missile has officially come to an end. With the ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile Transfer to TCG KINALIADA Turkiye yet again achieved another key milestone of Indigenization of different weapon systems.
ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile Development
The ATMACA Guided Missile G/M Project was launched in 2009 in order to meet the anti-ship missile needs of the Turkish Naval Forces Command with domestic and national resources. In this context, the 220+ kilometer-range ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile with Active Radar Seeker (AR), developed under the prime contractor ship of Roketsan, was fired for the first time from the MİLGEM TCG KINALIADA (F-514) Corvette in November 2019, following extensive testing activities.
Features and Capabilities of ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile
ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile; Since it has a low radar cross-sectional area and Super Sea Skimming, that is, it can fly close to the water surface, the target can only be detected by the platform from a distance of 18-20 kilometers. Based on the ATMACA’s speed of Mach 0.85, this gives the target ship’s crew a very limited reaction time. For this reason, it is thought that the platform targeted by ATMACA will not be able to eliminate ATMACA easily.
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ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile Testing and Deployment
During another test conducted on 18 June 2021, the ATMACA Missile was fired from the KINALIADA Corvette and hit a real ship target for the first time. The target ship sank after being hit by the ATMACA Missile. According to the information compiled by SavunmaSanayiST.com; In the statement made by the Turkish Naval Forces Command regarding the issue, “The first transfer of the ATMACA G/M Weapon System from Surface to Surface to the ship was successfully carried out on February 10, 2023 to TCG KINALIADA (F-514) at Nara Guided Bullet Pier. May the Domestic and National Guided Missile ATMACA be beneficial to our Naval Forces and our nation.” statements were included.
Conclusion
The transfer of ATMACA anti-ship missile to TCG KINALIADA marks a significant milestone for Turkey’s defense industry. The missile’s advanced capabilities will enhance the corvette’s combat readiness and strengthen Turkey’s naval power. With the successful deployment of ATMACA, Turkey’s defense industry is demonstrating its capability to develop and produce advanced weapon systems, ensuring the country’s sovereignty and security. ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile Transfer to TCG KINALIADA is indeed a remarkable achievement for Turkey’s defense industry.