Türkiye Unleashes Longest Trial of Kara Atmaca: A Leap into Cruise Missile Innovation
Türkiye’s newest defense advancement, the Kara Atmaca long-range surface-to-surface cruise missile, has completed its longest-range and duration flight trial to date, a senior official stated on Monday.
Fueled by the domestically created KTJ3700 engine, the missile successfully struck a floating target after being launched from a mobile platform, according to a video shared by its creator, Roketsan, on Sunday.
The producer did not reveal the testing location, although similar assessments are generally carried out at a site in Sinop, Türkiye’s northernmost region.
“In its latest trial, Kara Atmaca, operated by the KTJ3700 engine, successfully acquired its target with utmost precision and completed its longest flight to this point,” remarked Haluk Görgün, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB).
Görgün indicated that the system is engineered for engagements against essential land objectives that require significant accuracy and will further enhance the capability of Türkiye’s armed forces.
“With its unique attributes, Kara Atmaca will stay ahead of its international rivals,” he posted on the social media platform X.
The interference-resistant missile system can be deployed from tactical wheeled vehicles and is anticipated to target critical land-based assets, air defense units, and both stationary and mobile ground-based missile systems.
The KTJ3700 turbojet missile engine has been developed by Kale Arge.
The contract for the development of Kara Atmaca was signed in mid-August 2021 to fulfill the operational requirements of the Turkish Land Forces Command for precision strikes at extended ranges.
Weighing around 250 kilograms (551.16 pounds), the missile is outfitted with an advanced imaging infrared (IIR) seeker head, allowing it to perform aggressive maneuvers and engage targets with centimeter-level accuracy.
Kara Atmaca boasts a range exceeding 280 kilometers (173.98 miles), surpassing that of its namesake anti-ship missile.
Atmaca is promoted as a high-accuracy, long-range, surface-to-surface, precision strike missile that can be integrated with patrol vessels, frigates, and corvettes.
The Turkish Naval Forces Command’s arsenal has long included U.S.-manufactured Harpoon anti-ship missiles, which are now being phased out in favor of the Atmaca missiles.
Kara Atmaca is projected to enter operational service by 2026.
