Turkish missile maker delivers rockets to army

Özgür Ekşi ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

The Turkish military plans to equip T-129 Atak helicopters with laser-guided Cirit rockets. Turkey’s missile maker Roketsan produces the 8 km-ranged rockets. Hürriyet photo

Turkey’s missile maker Roketsan has delivered 100 laser-guided 70 mm rocket systems to the Turkish military, a defense source has told the Hürriyet Daily News.

Roketsan will produce a total of 2000 “Cirits” for the Turkish military, the source said.

Cirit is one of the projects launched by Turkey to equip the Turkish army’s T-129 Atak, AH-1P Cobra and AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters with low-cost precision strike capabilities.

French-German Helicopter company Eurocopter has selected Cirit for the execution of a test and integration program to equip the Eurocopter EC635.

The rocket’s name comes from a traditional Turkish horseback game, Cirit, where two teams of riders fight a mock battle using wooden javelins.

Cirit is considered a next generation 70 mm guided rocket system fitted with a semi-active laser homing seeker.

70 mm rocket systems have been in use since the Vietnam War for their anti-personnel and incendiary effects. The Cirit rockets have a maximum effective guided range of 8 km, with a high probability of a hit on a 3x3 meter moving target at this range.