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Roketsan Cirit

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Cirit
IDEF 2015
TypeAir-to-surface, anti-armor and anti-personnel missile
Place of originTurkey
Service history
Used byTurkish Army, UAE Army
WarsKurdish–Turkish conflict (1978–present)
Syrian Civil War
Operation Olive Branch
2020 Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
Production history
Designed2004 – 2009
ManufacturerROKETSAN
Produced2011 - present
Specifications
Mass15 kg
Length1.9 m
Diameter2.75" (70 mm)
WarheadTri-Mode: Anti Armour, Anti Personnel and Incendiary

Anti Personnel: Increased Anti Personnel and Incendiary

Thermobaric: Increased Anti Personnel and Anti Structure [1]
Warhead weight3 kg insensitive explosive
EngineSolid-fuel rocket
Operational
range
1.5 - 8 km
Guidance
system
Midcourse Guidance: MEMS-IMU, MEMS-INS, Magnetometer Terminal Guidance: Semi-Active Laser Seeker
Steering
system
Pop-out fins
Launch
platform
Attack Helicopter[2]
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle[2]
TAI Hürkuş[2]
Land combat vehicle
Naval platforms
Stationary platforms
External images
Launch and Warhead test
image icon Tri-Mode Warhead
image icon moving target

Cirit is a laser-guided 70 mm missile system under production by Turkish arms industry manufacturer ROKETSAN.[3][4] It 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. It has been selected by Eurocopter for execution of a test and integration program to equip the Eurocopter EC635. The weapon's name comes from a traditional Turkish horseback game, Cirit (pronounced Jirit), where two teams of riders fight a mock battle using wooden javelins which are called cirit.

Description

Cirit launcher with four missiles

Cirit is a 70 mm (2.75 in) guided missile system fitted with a semi-active laser homing seeker. The seeker and guidance section is attached to a purpose-built warhead with a Class 5 Insensitive Munition (IM). The multipurpose warhead has a combined armour-piercing ammunition with enhanced behind armor anti-personnel and incendiary effects. The engine is of reduced smoke design, with IM properties. It is connected to the rear section by a roll bearing that enables it to rotate in flight. There are four small stabilising surfaces at the very rear of the missile in front of the exhaust nozzle that ensures stable flight. Roketsan has developed a new launch pod and a new canister in which Cirit is delivered as an all-up round. The Cirit has a maximum effective guided range of 8 km with a high probability of hit on a 3×3 m target at this range.[5][6]

Development

T129 ATAK attack helicopter armed with four Cirit (left)

Initial work on the Cirit design began in 2004 and it was first shown in public during IDEF 2007. Roketsan had opted not to follow the lead of other similar 70 mm (2.75 in) guided rocket programmes and has developed the Cirit as an all-up round and not as an add-on guidance kit for existing unguided rockets. This has seen the company work on several new components for the rocket including its semi-active laser seeker, actuation and control systems, bearings, computer hardware and software. Multipurpose high performance warhead, motor and specific container were designed and developed by TUBITAK-SAGE. The Cirit is designed for use with existing 70 mm rocket launchers such as the LAU-61, LAU-68, LAU-130, LAU-131, M260 and M261. Roketsan is also developing a new series of digital launchers, with seven and 19 tubes, to take advantage of the Cirit's MIL-STD-1760 databus capabilities.

It has been in production since 2010 and 5000 units have been delivered to customers.[7]

12 January 2010, Roketsan's Cirit is the first 2.75" laser guided rocket to engage moving targets. Cirit successfully engaged a moving target travelling at 60 km/h while the platform (AH-1W Super Cobra) it was fired from was moving at 220 km/h (120 knots).[8]

12 May 2011, Roketsan signed an agreement with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for the integration of its Cirit Smart Launcher System on the T-129 attack helicopter.[9]

2012: Delivery to the Turkish Armed Forces[7]

2014: Delivery to the UAE Armed Forces[7]

2018: Serialized production of the shortened (970mm) unpowered MAM-C micro munition based on the Cirit.[10]

Export

  • Roketsan is in talks with Australian Defence Force officials for the possible sale of the Cirit.[11]
  • Roketsan has signed a memorandum of understanding with Eurocopter to execute a test program for integration of the Cirit to Eurocopter EC635.[12]
  • At IDEX'13, Roketsan has contracted a US$196.2 million deal with UAE for the export of an undisclosed number of Cirit rockets.[13] The order was received from Tawazun on behalf of UAE Armed Forces.[14]
  • ROKETSAN and European defense company MBDA[15] signed an agreement on cooperation in the production and integration of CIRIT on 22 May 2014.

Users

Map with Roketsan Cirit users in blue

See also

References

  1. ^ Roketsan adds third warhead option for Cirit Archived 2017-04-09 at the Wayback Machine, IHS Jane's 360, 15 March 2017
  2. ^ a b c Mitzer, Stijn (13 January 2022). "Deadly Advanced: A Complete Overview Of Turkish Designed Air-Launched Munitions". Oryx Blog.
  3. ^ "CIRIT 2.75″ LASER GUIDED MISSILE". Roketsan. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  4. ^ "CIRIT 2.75″ LASER GUIDED MISSILE" (PDF). Roketsan. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
  5. ^ CIRIT 2.75” Laser Guided Missile, Roketsan Archived 2009-01-01 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Roketsan targets guided anti-tank missile development and production Archived 2018-03-12 at the Wayback Machine, TR Defence, 13 July 2011
  7. ^ a b c "Roketsan Shows Broad Capabilities". aviationweek.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
  8. ^ (in Turkish) Roketsan Cirit'le Rakiplerine Fark Atıyor Archived 2010-05-18 at the Wayback Machine, MSI magazine, p. 32, 2 February 2010
  9. ^ Rroketsan and TAI sign agreement during IDEF’11 Archived 2012-03-22 at the Wayback Machine, Dogan News Agency, 12 May 2011
  10. ^ "ROKETSAN is beginning to mass production of MAM-C rocket – Polygon Military Magazine". Retrieved 2022-04-18.
  11. ^ ROKETSAN: Turkish Defence Industry’s growing power Archived 2011-07-09 at the Wayback Machine, Defence Turkey
  12. ^ Roketsan signs memorandum of understanding with Eurocopter at IDEF’11 Archived 2012-03-22 at the Wayback Machine, Dogan News Agency, 12 May 2011
  13. ^ UAE signs $1.42 bn defense deals Archived 2013-02-22 at the Wayback Machine, The Daily Star Lebanon, February 18, 2013
  14. ^ David Donald UAE is first export success for Cirit Archived 2013-02-25 at the Wayback Machine, Janes Defence News, February 20, 2013
  15. ^ MBDA
  16. ^ https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerospace/aerospace-aerospace/chad-air-force-reveals-hurkus-anka-aircraft/
  17. ^ a b "Trade Registers". armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 2021-05-09.
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