AKATA: Turkey’s Submarine-Launched ATMACA Cruise Missile
AKATA is ROKETSAN’s encapsulated, submarine-launched version of the ATMACA anti-ship cruise missile. Ejected underwater from a standard 533 mm torpedo tube at depths of 15-60 m, it offers a stated range of over 250 km. The first test firing took place on 12 March 2025 from the Turkish Navy submarine TCG Preveze (S-353), and the system was unveiled at IDEF in July 2025. AKATA is not a torpedo countermeasure — that role belongs to ASELSAN’s ZOKA family.
| AKATA — At a Glance | |
|---|---|
| Category | Submarine-launched anti-ship / land-attack cruise missile |
| Developer | ROKETSAN |
| Basis | ATMACA cruise missile family (encapsulated variant) |
| Status | Test phase; first firing 12 March 2025 |
| Unveiled | IDEF, July 2025 |
| Range | 250+ km |
| Weight | ~1,200 kg (including capsule) |
| Length | ~7 m (capsule) |
| Speed | Not officially disclosed (ATMACA-based; subsonic ~Mach 0.85 expected — unconfirmed) |
| Warhead | ~220 kg high-explosive fragmentation |
| Guidance | INS + GPS + baro/radar altimeter + terminal active radar seeker; datalink |
| Propulsion | Solid-fuel booster + turbojet (ignited after surface breach) |
| Launch | 533 mm torpedo tube, 15-60 m depth |
| Platform | Preveze class (test); target platform MILDEN national submarine |
| Operator | Turkish Naval Forces (test phase) |
What is AKATA?
AKATA is a submarine-launched cruise missile developed by ROKETSAN for the Turkish Naval Forces. It is not an all-new missile family but the underwater-launch adaptation of the proven ATMACA anti-ship cruise missile. The weapon is carried inside a pressure-resistant capsule sized for the standard 533 mm torpedo tube. While the submarine cruises at a depth of 15-60 m, the capsule is ejected from the tube and rises to the surface; as the missile breaches, its solid-fuel booster fires and the turbojet takes over, after which AKATA flies a low-altitude sea-skimming profile like a conventional ATMACA.
The operational significance is considerable: with AKATA, a Turkish submarine can deliver a guided strike against surface warships or coastal targets more than 250 km away without surfacing and without revealing its position. Until now, the long-range guided-missile capability of Turkish submarines rested on the American-made UGM-84 Sub-Harpoon; AKATA is intended to close that critical gap with a domestic solution.
The first test firing was successfully carried out on 12 March 2025 from TCG Preveze (S-353), and the system was publicly unveiled at the IDEF exhibition in July 2025.
Is AKATA a torpedo countermeasure? Correcting a common mix-up
Some sources and older inventory lists classify AKATA as a torpedo countermeasure system. This is incorrect. Turkey’s torpedo countermeasure and decoy product line is ASELSAN’s ZOKA family of acoustic jammers and decoys, deployed via the ZARGANA system on submarines and the HIZIR system on surface ships. AKATA belongs to an entirely different category: it is an offensive, target-seeking cruise missile launched from a submarine. The confusion appears to stem from both systems interfacing with submarine torpedo tubes and from error propagation across secondary sources.
Technical characteristics and how it works
AKATA’s flight vehicle follows the ATMACA architecture. The all-up weight with capsule is approximately 1,200 kg, and the capsule length is roughly 7 m. The warhead is in the same class as ATMACA’s: a ~220 kg high-explosive fragmentation unit designed for effect against surface combatants. Speed has not been officially disclosed; given the ATMACA basis, a subsonic cruise of around Mach 0.85 is expected, but this figure is unconfirmed.
The launch sequence has three phases:
- Underwater phase: the capsule is ejected from the 533 mm tube at 15-60 m depth and rises buoyantly to the surface.
- Broach phase: the missile separates from the capsule and the solid-fuel booster accelerates it to cruise conditions.
- Cruise phase: the turbojet ignites and the missile proceeds to the target at sea-skimming altitude.
The guidance package is shared with ATMACA: mid-course INS + GPS navigation supported by barometric and radar altimeters, and a terminal active radar seeker. A two-way datalink allows in-flight target updates, re-attack and mission abort — a meaningful degree of flexibility against a changing maritime picture at long range.
AKATA competes in a class produced by only a handful of countries: capsule-launched submarine cruise missiles. The established products in this niche are the American Sub-Harpoon, the French SM39 Exocet and the Russian Kalibr family. On stated range, AKATA targets a capability above Sub-Harpoon and SM39 — though the Turkish system is still in the test phase and has not entered serial service.
Platforms, operators and export prospects
AKATA’s first test platform was TCG Preveze (S-353), a Type 209/1400-derived Preveze-class submarine of the Turkish Navy. The system’s primary intended platform, however, is MILDEN, Turkey’s national submarine programme, where AKATA is positioned as one of the principal strike weapons. Integration with the newer Type 214TN-based Reis class has not been officially announced.
The only known operator is the Turkish Naval Forces, and only in a test capacity at this stage. Export status has not been officially announced. That said, the export interest already generated by the ATMACA family, combined with the fact that the 533 mm tube is the standard interface across the world’s submarine fleets, suggests AKATA could become an export candidate in the future — although no export contract has been made public.
AKATA’s place in Turkey’s defence industry: strengths and limitations
AKATA marks two strategic thresholds for Turkey’s naval industry at once. First, Turkey has for the first time test-fired a domestically developed cruise missile launched underwater from a submarine — a capability previously confined to a small group of producers such as the United States, France and Russia. Second, it is a concrete step towards ending the Sub-Harpoon dependency: just as ATMACA is replacing Harpoon aboard surface combatants, AKATA is the candidate to replace Sub-Harpoon aboard submarines.
On the strengths side, reusing the proven ATMACA airframe and guidance package reduces development risk and time, and the stated 250+ km range exceeds that of the established Western products in the class. On the limitations side, it must be noted that the system is still in testing, that no serial-production or inventory decision has been announced, and that speed and several performance figures remain undisclosed. Public data is limited, and a fuller technical picture should emerge as the programme matures.
AKATA is a new system in its test phase, and official public data is limited. Its speed has not been officially disclosed; the subsonic ~Mach 0.85 expectation is an unconfirmed inference from the ATMACA basis. Reis-class integration and export status have not been officially announced. Note also that some sources mislabel AKATA as a torpedo countermeasure; Turkey’s torpedo countermeasure family is ASELSAN’s ZOKA, whereas AKATA is an offensive submarine-launched cruise missile.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the range of AKATA?
According to official statements, AKATA has a range of over 250 km — greater than the established Western systems in its class, the Sub-Harpoon and the SM39 Exocet.
Which submarines can launch AKATA?
AKATA is ejected in a capsule from a standard 533 mm torpedo tube at depths of 15-60 m. The first test was conducted from the Preveze-class TCG Preveze (S-353) on 12 March 2025; the primary intended platform is the MILDEN national submarine. Reis-class integration has not been officially announced.
Is AKATA a torpedo countermeasure?
No — this is a common misconception. AKATA is the encapsulated, submarine-launched version of the ATMACA cruise missile. Turkey’s torpedo countermeasure (decoy) family is ASELSAN’s ZOKA, used with the ZARGANA system on submarines and HIZIR on surface ships.
What are AKATA’s closest equivalents?
The American UGM-84 Sub-Harpoon, the French SM39 Exocet and the submarine-launched version of the Russian 3M-54 Kalibr are the principal systems in the same class.
When was AKATA tested, and is it in service?
The first test firing took place on 12 March 2025 from TCG Preveze, and the system was unveiled at IDEF in July 2025. AKATA remains in the test phase; no service-entry date has been officially announced.
Has AKATA been exported?
Export status has not been officially announced, and no export contract has been made public at this stage.
Sources
- ROKETSAN official — roketsan.com.tr
- Army Recognition — IDEF 2025: AKATA submarine-launched cruise missile
- EDR Magazine — ROKETSAN unveils AKATA
- Defcros News — IDEF 2025: ROKETSAN introduces AKATA
