Turkey Designs T129 ATAK Helicopters Tobury Terrorists

Turkish ATAK T129 helicopter. (Wikimedia Commons/Steve Lynes)

JAKARTA - Turkey's Ministry of Defense says Turkey's domestic attack helicopters have the capability of being used in every condition and on a difficult mission, for counterterrorism operations and will be used to hunt down terrorists.

Turkey has often called for increased global cooperation against the threat of terrorism. Ankara ranks first among the countries most facing attacks on the hands of ISIS, reported Daily Sabah on November 1.

The organization has carried out terrorist attacks on Turkey both at home and abroad. A total of 309 civilians and security forces have been killed, as well as 1,338 injured in suicide bombings, other bombings and gun attacks by ISIS, which have carried out 20 attacks on Turkey since 2014.

The Ministry of National Defense recently shared video footage showing military exercises carried out with the T129 Strategic Reconnaissance and Attack Helicopter (ATAK) helicopter, targeting terrorist elements in several areas.

Selain rekaman siang dan malam, video tersebut juga menyertakan rekaman operasi yang diambil selama musim panas dan musim dingin. Saat-time saat ketika ATAK mencapai target yang terketahui dengan akurasi yang tepat terlihat dalam rekaman yang dibagikan oleh kementerian.

"The terrorists, who thought they were safe in their hiding holes, realized that escaping was impossible when they heard the sound of the Atak helicopter, our local and national forces," the ministry said in a Twitter statement.

"Even in the most challenging areas, our ATAK and pilots will forge terrorists to places where they cannot escape," he added.

The special helicopter was designed and developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and powered by engines made by LHTEC, a joint venture of British Rolls Royce and Honeywell, a US company.

A subsidiary of the TAI engine manufacturing company, TUSA target Engine Industries (TEI), meanwhile started a project to develop domestic engines for helicopters, TEI-TS1400 turboshafts.

T129 ATAK is the next generation, tandem and two seats, a dual-engine helicopter designed specifically for attacks and reconnaissance.

For weaponry, this helicopter is equipped with M197 20x102 mm three-barrel rotary cannon located at the front.

As for rockets and missiles, these helicopters are capable of carrying various types and numbers, according to the configuration for the mission being carried out.

For missiles, there are 160mm anti-tank guitar UMTAS, 70mm guitarized missile to top the short range air-to-water missile. As for the rocket, there is the MKE FEAR. Hydra 70, to CRV7.

TAI has so far delivered helicopters, including their upgraded versions, to Turkish Army Command, Gendarmerie General Command, and Directorate General of Security.