Roketsan Cirit
| Cirit | |
|---|---|
| File:Cirit AH-1W.JPG AH-1W test firing Roketsan Cirit | |
| Type | Air-to-surface anti-armor and soft target |
| Place of origin |  Turkey |
| Service history | |
| Used by | Turkish Army |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 2004 – 2009 |
| Manufacturer | Roketsan |
| Produced | 2011 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 14 kg |
| Length | 1.9 m |
| Diameter | 2.75" (70 mm) |
| Warhead | 3 kg Insensitive Tri-Mode Warhead (Anti Armour, Anti Personnel and Incendiary) |
| Engine | Solid-fuel rocket |
Operational range | 1.5 - 8 km |
Guidance system | Semi-Active Laser Seeker, MEMS-IMU Magnetometer |
Steering system | pop-out fins |
Launch platform | Attack Helicopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
CIRIT is a laser-guided 70 mm rocket system now under development by Turkish missile manufacturer Roketsan. 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 indigenous combat capabilities.
Description
Cirit is a next generation 70 mm (2.75 in) guided rocket system fitted with a semi-active laser homing seeker. The seeker and guidance section is attached to a purpose-built warhead with a Class V 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. The Cirit has a maximum effective guided range of 8 km.[1]
Development
Initial work on the Cirit design began in 2004 and it was first shown in public during IDEF 2007. The weapon's name comes from a traditional Turkish horseback game, Cirit, where two teams of riders fight a mock battle using wooden javelins. 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 rounds. 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.
January 12, 2010[2], 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).
Export
Roketsan of Turkey is currently in talks with Australian Defence Force officials for the possible sale of the Cirit.[3]
See also
- Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System
- Direct Attack Guided Rocket
- Guided Advanced Tactical Rocket - Laser
- Low-Cost Guided Imaging Rocket