Pictures posted on social media show the quad launcher(s) have been fitted aboard Kinaliada ( F-514), the fourth and final Ada-class corvette (MILGEM Project) of the Turkish Navy. The vessel was launched in July 2017 at Istanbul naval shipyard and is set to be commissioned later this year. It is the first vessel ever seen with the brand new missile system.
About Atmaca anti-ship missile
Atmaca was unveiled for the first time by Turkish missile systems company Roketsan during IDEF 2019 defense exhibition in Istanbul. According to our colleagues at turkishnavy.net, its development started about 10 years ago, with Undersecreteriat For Defence industries (UDI) signing a contract for the R&D phase with Roketsan as main contractor, in 2009. Live firing of Atmaca started from 2016.
The serial production contract of Atmaca anti-ship missile was signed between the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) and Roketsan on November 2nd, 2018.
According to Roketsan, Atmaca is a subsonic, sea-skimming anti-ship missile with a range of over 220km featuring a 250kg-class high explosive fragmentation warhead. It features high resistance to countermeasures, all-weather capability, a target updating/mission termination facility and a comprehensive mission planning system with 3D routing. The missile is effective against sea targets in open or coastal waters, as well as against shore-based targets.
Atmaca is set to become the Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW) weapon of choice aboard Turkish Navy modern surface combatants: It will be fitted aboard the Ada-class corvettes, the future Istanbul-class frigates and the future TF2000-class anti-air warfare destroyers.
About Ada-class corvette
The Ada-class, as part of the MILGEM project, the first national ship building project staged in Turkey. Its goal is to build a modern littoral combat ship with indigenous anti-submarine warfare and high-seas patrol capabilities, extensively using the principles of stealth technology in its design.
The first ship of the class, TCG Heybeliada, was launched in September 2008. Three Ada-class corvettes have already been commissioned by the Turkish Navy and more are scheduled to enter into service in due course. Ships of the class are named after islands: Ada in Turkish, designate the Prince Islands in the Sea of Marmara, to the southeast of Istanbul
The class is designed to embark a 10-ton helicopter with platform, hangar and extensie service and handling equipment. Helicopter operations can be performed at sea state 4. MILGEM is designed to accommodate 106 sailors including the flight crew. The total accommodation is 108 including sickbay.
In July 2018, Pakistan announced that it would be procuring four MILGEM corvettes for the Pakistan Navy. Turkish defence minister, Nurettin Canikli, described the deal as “the largest defense export of Turkey in one agreement.”
Ada-class corvette main specification
Characteristics:
Displacement: 2300 tons, full load
Dimensions: 99 x 14.4 x 3.75 meters
Speed: 15 knots economical, 29+ knots maximum,
Range: 3500 miles at 15 knots.
Crew: 93
Weapons:
Guns: 1x 76mm, 2x 12,7mm
Missiles: 8x Harpoon SSM; Mk-144 Guided Missile Launcher
21x RAM SAM
Torpedoes: 2x 324 mm Mk 32 triple launcher for Mk 46 Mod 5; anti-submarine torpedoes.
Helicopters: 1x S-70-B2 Seahawk
Sensors:
Radars: SMART-S Mk2 3D air/surface search; Sting fire control; ALPER navigation
Sonars: Search/attack
Other: ASELFLIR 300D (on F-511 and F512), Seaeye – Ahtapot (on F-513 and F-514) ARES-2N ESM system
