Türkiye’s submarine-launched Atmaca missile: A complete game changer?
Turkish Navy's submarines along with the moments of test-firing of the submarine-launched variant of the domestically developed Atmaca anti-ship missile in Mediterranean on March 12, 2025 (Collage by Mehmet Akbas / Türkiye Today)
The Turkish Navy has successfully conducted the first test-firing of the submarine-launched variant of the domestically developed Atmaca anti-ship missile, marking a significant milestone in Türkiye’s naval capabilities.
The test, conducted on March 12, 2025, involved the launch of an encapsulated Atmaca missile from the TCG Preveze (S-353), a Preveze-class (Type 209/1400) diesel-electric submarine, in the East Mediterranean off the coast of Mersin.
The test verified the missile’s ability to launch from underwater, breach the surface, and engage a target, a capability previously possessed by only a handful of nations.
The submarine-launched adaptation of the Atmaca missile provides a significantly longer-range engagement alternative to torpedoes, while its anti-ship variant, featuring stealth-enhancing measures such as a reduced radar cross-section and low cruising altitude and more…, it complicates detection and increases the difficulty of countering an attack when launched from beneath the surface.
This situation may open the door to a capability that can be used not only for ships but also for land targets in the future.
Officials hail a milestone for Türkiye’s naval defense
Following the test, top defense officials lauded the achievement.
Turkish Defense Industries Secretary Haluk Gorgun announced the test’s success on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “Atmaca, the steel sword of the Blue Homeland, will now hit its target from under the sea.”
He emphasized that the successful test demonstrated Türkiye’s growing self-sufficiency in defense technology. “The Turkish defense industry is moving forward for a fully independent future on land, air, and sea,” he added.
Roketsan CEO Murat Ikinci also commented, calling the successful launch a breakthrough for Türkiye’s naval capabilities.
The Turkish Ministry of Defense (MoD) highlighted the event, noting the participation of high-ranking officials, including Gorgun, Turkish Naval Forces Commander Admiral Ercument Tatlioglu, and Roketsan’s leadership, during the live test.
“We congratulate the heroes of our Defense Industry who add strength to the power of our Naval Forces,” Turkish MoD added.
Submarine-launched Atmaca: A strategic advantage
The Atmaca (Hawk) is a long-range anti-ship cruise missile developed by Roketsan, a Turkish defense contractor, as part of Türkiye’s efforts to enhance its indigenous defense capabilities.
It is designed to replace older systems like the Harpoon missile and is intended for multiplatform use, including surface ships, aircraft, and submarines.
The program began in 2009 to meet surface-to-surface cruise missile requirements of the Turkish Naval Forces. The prime contractor, Roketsan, started the design studies in September 2012.
The missile features advanced navigation systems, including GPS, inertial navigation, and radar altimeters, ensuring high precision and all-weather operability.
On March 12, 2025, the Turkish Navy conducted a successful test-firing of the submarine-launched version of the Atmaca, known as Sub-Atmaca, from the submarine TCG Preveze (S-353), a Preveze-class (Type 209/1400) diesel-electric submarine, in the East Mediterranean off the coast of Mersin.
The launch was part of a test and acceptance firing, with the missile encased in a watertight capsule equipped with a propeller, designed to fit the submarine’s 533 mm torpedo tube.
After launch, the capsule propelled itself away from the submarine before the missile ignited and exited the capsule, breaching the surface and climbing.
Notably, footage shared on social media indicated that the missile was high likely was not carrying a live warhead, as there was no impact filmed, focusing on system integration and functionality. It’s a pretty normal procedure conducting the first tests without an actual warhead.
This test was conducted following the upgrade of TCG Preveze with the MUREN combat management system as part of its mid-life upgrade (MLU), enabling it to integrate and test domestically produced weapons systems.
With this upgrade, a total of eight submarines from the Preveze and Gur classes in the Turkish Navy will gain the capability to launch both the AKYA heavyweight torpedo and the encapsulated Sub-Atmaca, significantly enhancing their underwater strike capabilities.
Technical features of the Atmaca missile
- Length: 4,800 – 5,200 millimetres
- Weight: < 800 kilograms
- Range: > 220 kilometres with land-attack variants exceeding 280 kilometres
- Guidance System: Inertial Navigation System (INS), GPS, Barometric Altimeter, Radar Altimeter
- Warhead: 250 kilograms high-explosive penetration warhead
- Seeker: Active RF for ship-based launch, Imaging Infrared (IIR) for land-based launch
These characteristics may not necessarily reflect the specifications of the submarine-launched version of the missile. For instance the Kara Atmaca (Land Atmaca, also called Atmaca UM) surface-to-surface cruise missile, a variant where allows users to launch this missile system from the land has different characteristics:
- Length: 6 m
- Weight: 890 kilograms
- Range: 280 kilometers
- Guidance: INS* + GPS** + Barometric Altimeter + Radar Altimeter + TRN***
- Warhead: High Explosive, Blast Fragmentation, Penetration Warhead
- Warhead Weight: 250 Kilograms
- Seeker: Imaging Infrared Seeker
*INS: Inertial Navigation System
**GPS: Global Positioning System
***TRN: Terrain Referenced Navigation
Implications for regional naval balance
The introduction of the submarine-launched Atmaca significantly enhances the Turkish Navy’s strategic deterrence.
The ability to launch precision-guided missiles from submarines increases operational flexibility and extends Türkiye’s maritime strike capabilities.
The addition of Atmaca to Türkiye’s underwater fleet places the country among a select group of nations with this capability. The missile’s deployment is expected to increase Türkiye’s maritime power projection, particularly in the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.
Until now, these missile capabilities in the region have been dominated by the UGM-84 Harpoon and the Russian 3M54K Kalibr.
The Harpoon is widely used by Greece (Type 214), Egypt (Type 209/1400+ and Type 033), Israel (Dolphin I/II), and Türkiye (Type 209/1400, Type 209/1400+, Type 214TN). Meanwhile, Russia employs the Kalibr missile on its Project 636.3 (06363) Varshavyanka in the NATO reporting code as Improved Kilo II, are a state-of-the-art variant based on Project 877 Paltus (Halibut, NATO: Kilo) submarines.
Atmaca remains unknown variable for other count
While the capabilities of the Harpoon are well known to its users and likely understood by Russia through military intelligence, and the Kalibr’s performance is generally familiar to non-Russian regional navies, Atmaca remains an unknown variable.
Though its design and dimensions resemble the Harpoon, its guidance and navigation systems, terminal phase algorithms, and electronic counter-countermeasures (ECCM) remain uncertain for other regional actors. This, what makes this system as what some people would call as “game changer.”
Unlike non-domestic solutions, Atmaca offers Türkiye full control over its future upgrades, including range, warhead configurations, and other enhancements tailored to its operational concepts. The missile’s introduction to its submarines will significantly alter the regional power balance in Ankara’s favor.
Beyond Atmaca, Türkiye continues to develop advanced naval technologies, including the indigenous MILDEN submarine project and other domestically produced underwater warfare systems.
Türkiye’s Atmaca missile has attracted interest from foreign navies.
Indonesia and Malaysia have already signed agreements to procure the missile for their naval forces, integrating it into vessels such as Indonesia’s KRI I Gusti Ngurah Rai frigate and Malaysia’s Littoral Mission Ships (LMS) Batch 2, modeled after Türkiye’s Ada-class corvette.
Why submarines vital for navies?
Submarines are essential strategic assets due to their ability to operate undetected underwater.
This stealth allows them to conduct surprise attacks, gather intelligence, and engage in anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare.
They can also launch missiles at land targets, extending their strategic reach. Their danger lies in their offensive potential: they can sink ships, disrupt trade, and force enemies to allocate resources for defense.
For Türkiye, equipping submarines with the Atmaca missile, a long-range anti-ship cruise missile, likely increases their threat level, enhancing maritime power projection.
Especially facing a system that you do not know and cannot solve, and a situation where it is difficult to find out where this system can come to you, is a frightening factor for adversarial countries.
As many naval systems enthusiasts will say, “There are only two kinds of ships at sea, submarines and their targets.“
