UMTAS or Mizrak-U (Uzun Menzilli Tanksavar Sistemi) is a modern long range air-to-surface anti-tank guided missile developed by Turkish armor and missile manufacturer Roketsan.[2][3][4][5][6]
| UMTAS | |
|---|---|
 L-UMTAS (upper) and UMTAS (lower) missiles displayed on helicopter pylon | |
| Type | Air-to-surface, anti-tank guided missile |
| Place of origin | Turkey |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 2005-2017 |
| Manufacturer | Roketsan |
| Produced | 2017-current |
| Variants |
|
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 37.5 kg (83 lb) missile 62 kg (137 lb) launcher |
| Length | 1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Diameter | 160 mm (6.3 in) |
| Warhead | Tandem HEAT / blast-fragmentation / thermobaric |
Detonation mechanism | |
| Engine | HTPB‐based solid-fuel rocket motor |
Operational range | 500–8,000 m (0.31–4.97 mi) |
Guidance system |
|
Launch platform | |
| References | Janes[1] |
| External image | |
|---|---|
| Launch and Warhead test | |
 Dual-Stage antitank Warhead |
Background edit
The UMTAS program was begun in late 2003 by Turkey's Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM), specifically to provide TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK combat helicopters with an indigenous guided missile.[7] The UMTAS has been designed to engage tanks and heavily armoured vehicles.[8] It can be integrated in various platforms, including helicopters, UAVs, land vehicles, stationary platforms, light assault aircraft, ships.[3]
Description edit
The UMTAS missile has fire and forget and fire and update infrared guidance with a tandem anti-tank warfare warhead.[2] The laser guided version is marketed as the L-UMTAS.[3] İsmail Demir, the Head of Defence Industry of Turkiye stated that it can engage targets at 16 kilometers.
- Fire behind mask
- Can be used day or night and in adverse weather
- Tandem-charge warhead, effective against reactive armour
- Insensitive munition characteristics against liquid fuel fire and bullet hits
- Communication of seeker image to user and command by user using data-link
- Lock-on before or after launch (L-UMTAS)
- Update of aim point on target (UMTAS)
- Switch targets during flight (UMTAS)
- Direct fire or top attack (UMTAS)
- Fire-and-forget, fire-and-update modes (UMTAS)
Development edit
Phase 1 (design) began in 2005 and finished in 2008.[9]
Phase 2 (development and qualification) began in 2008 and finished in 2015.[8]
The L-UMTAS and UMTAS version have been integrated and fired successfully from helicopters: a Turkish TAI/AgustaWestland T129 ATAK against land targets, and a US Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk against sea targets.
A UMTAS was test dropped successfully from a Baykar Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV). The missile was released at an altitude of 4,900 m (16,000 ft) to hit a 2×2 meter target self laser designated from the drone, from 8 kilometres away. These missile tests may be a step in a related program to use MAM weapons with Bayraktar drones.[10]
The MAM-L smart munition was developed from L-UMTAS.[11]
Serial production has begun with the delivery dates set in 2016.[8]
The Geleceğin Muharebe Sistemi (Future Combat System) version of the missile (UMTAS-GM) was displayed in 2023. It features dual IIR/SAL seekers in a flat split-design nose with a bidirectional RF datalink in a cylindrical body and an aligned, cruciform fold-out wing and aft fin assembly. It weighs 41.3 kg (91 lb) and can be equipped with an insensitive tandem anti-tank, high-explosive blast fragmentation, or thermobaric warhead. Range is 16 km (9.9 mi) when fired from land vehicles and naval vessels and 20 km (12 mi) from helicopters.[12]
References edit
- ^ Janes (18 February 2022), "UMTAS (MIZRAK‐U/TAM‐LR)", Janes Weapons: Air Launched, Coulsdon, Surrey: Jane's Group UK Limited, retrieved 19 February 2023
- ^ a b c "UMTAS Long Range Anti-Tank Missile System". Roketsan.com.tr. Archived from the original on 5 February 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Long Range Anti-Tank Missile UMTAS « Roketsan". www.roketsan.com.tr. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
- ^ "UMTAS Long Range Anti-Tank Missile System". Army Technology. Archived from the original on 2019-03-24.
- ^ UMTAS (Long Range Anti Tank System) (Turkey) Archived 2010-04-28 at the Wayback Machine, Jane's Information Group, Retrieved October 10, 2010
- ^ "UMTAS Long Range Anti-Tank Missile System". Roketsan. Archived from the original on 2019-04-14. Retrieved 2019-07-22.
- ^ "Savunma Sanayii Mustesarligi Faaliyet Raporu 2013" (pdf). Kamuda Stratejik Yönetim. 2013. p. 99. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- ^ a b c "Roketsan Shows Broad Capabilities". Aviationweek.com. Archived from the original on 2016-06-02. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ a b Long Range Anti-Tank Missile (LRAT) Archived 2011-06-16 at the Wayback Machine, Roketsan, Retrieved October 11, 2010
- ^ Eshel, Tamir (19 December 2015). "Turkish UMTAS Missile Dropped From a Bayraktar Tactical Drone". Defense Update. Archived from the original on 2016-04-13. Retrieved 2016-04-28.
- ^ "MAM-L Smart Micro Munition". Turkish Defence News. Retrieved 2022-04-18.
- ^ "IDEF 2023: Roketsan debuts long-range UMTAS-GM ATGM". Janes Information Services. 28 July 2023. Archived from the original on 30 July 2023.