In a previous article we reported on the contract signed on 23 November 2022 between Roketsan and STM for the integration of ATMACA anti-ship missiles on 11 Turkish Navy ships until 11 April 2027.
Now in an article by Turkish media, reputable in its country's defense industry issues, titled, "First Mass Delivery of ATMACA Missile by Roketsan", points out the following:
"Roketsan has made the first mass delivery of the national ATMACA anti-ship missile to the Turkish Navy Command.
Recently, the acceptance activities of the ATMACA anti-ship missile were successfully completed. After the prototype missiles were included in the Turkish Navy's inventory, Roketsan started mass deliveries of ATMACA Anti-Ship Missiles.
According to information with the rapid delivery batches, so far "double-digit quantities" of ATMACA missiles have been delivered to the Turkish naval forces.
The delivered missiles will be incorporated into surface ships in the Turkish Navy's inventory.
TCG KINALIADA (F-514) Corvette made history as the first Turkish ship to use and launch the ATMACA anti-ship missile.
After KINALIADA, the first HEYBELİADA, BÜYÜKADA and BURGAZADA corvettes and BARBAROS class frigates are expected to be equipped with ATMACA."
The construction of ATMACA was initiated as a project in 2009 to meet the anti-ship missile needs of the Turkish Naval Forces Command with domestic and national resources.
In this context, the 250+ km range ATMACA Anti-Ship Missile with Active Radar Seeker (AR), developed under the prime contractor Roketsan, was first launched from the MİLGEM TCG KINALIADA (F-514) Corvette in November 2019 , after extensive test activities.
During this test firing, ATMACA successfully hit a fixed target on the sea surface.
During another test conducted on 18 June 2021, the ATMACA missile was launched from Corvette KINALIADA and hit a target that was a ship for the first time.
The target ship was sunk after being hit by the ATMACA missile.
Recently, ATMACA was officially entered into the Turkish Navy's inventory.
Since it has a low radar cross-section and Super Sea Skimming, meaning it can fly close to the water surface, the target can be detected by the platform from a distance of 18-20 km.
Given the ATMACA's speed of 0.85 Mach, this gives the target ship's crew very limited reaction time.
For this reason, it is believed that the platform targeted by ATMACA will not be able to easily eliminate the missile.
It was developed as part of the Turkish Navy's needs, and has the capability of "Advanced 3D Mission Planning".
Thanks to this feature, ATMACA's operators can plan in advance the route it will take to its destination, adding legs to the route.
At the same time, ATMACA, which features the KEMENT Tactical Data Link developed by Meteksan Defense, can update its route information even after launch.
Considering that the enemy target ship may be behind an island in the Aegean Sea, thanks to Super Sea Skimming, the ATMACA, will be able to go around the island in front of the target platform or destroy the target by going up and down suddenly, the Turks claim
The Turks are attempting to create with ATMACAs in the Aegean, area denial conditions in parts of the Aegean or even anti-access conditions in a large part of the Archipelago for our Navy.
In conclusion, we note that a reputable Turkish twitter on defence industry issues states.
The ATMACA coastal defence system will be able to control 60% of the Black Sea and 85% of the Aegean Sea".
