At the press conference held at Bilkent Hotel on October 13 participation included press representatives from the defence industry; President of Meteksan Defence -Tunç BATUM; Vice President of Systems and Product Engineering Management -Selçuk ALPARSLAN; Vice President of Business Development and Project Management Özgür CANKARA; Management Consultant Erdal TORUN; International Sales and Corporate Reputation Executive Burak AKBAŞ and Corporate Reputation Specialist Can GÜRSOY.

 President of Meteksan Defence Tunç BATUM: “We are Eager to Increase our Defence Industry Exports into the 20% - 30% range.”

 During the first part of the meeting, President of Meteksan Defence, Tunç BATUM, evaluated the current state of the company since its establishment to the present and stated that Meteksan Defence started its activities as one of the 20 companies under Bilkent Holding affiliated with Bilkent University to carry out technological research and development for the defence industry in 2006. President BATUM said: “Our philosophy was to use university-industry cooperation in an efficient way and to develop high-tech products in the fields of work that have not been studied. With this in mind we took important steps during this 10-year process. Over the last five years, our growth rate has increased. We have achieved 20% growth in the last two years. After a strategic restructure three years ago, we aimed to make products which will definitely be used on platforms and will be included in our product portfolio. We started to develop projects accordingly and gained their outputs. Our export sales were very low, accounting for 2% or 3% of our turnover. We increased this to 10% in the first place and we succeeded in this goal. In the next stages, we aim to increase this level to 20% -30%.”BATUM emphasized that they must have indigenous, national and domestic products for an independent defence industry. “With the strategies that have been introduced over the last 20 years, we can successfully conduct cross-border operations. I consider this to be an indicator of the strong will of our state. Of course, technology changes very rapidly, threats and scenarios are changing each day. In the past, the Turkish Armed Forces made 10-year plans and all the sector companies would position themselves according to this planning. Today, all the planning has changed. Therefore, sector companies like us have important duties. We shouldn’t only make what is demanded from us, but we need to explain the advancing technologies to those who develop long-term strategies in detail.

Of course, although we have important tasks in this regard, we need a planner to create a technological roadmap. Otherwise, there may be repeated waste of resources.”

 BATUM: “Our National MİLGEM Ships National Sonar “YAKAMOS” developed by Meteksan Defence”

 BATUM stated that Meteksan Defence has four main lines of business. “The first of these is our sensor group with which we started our journey with the Millimeter Wave Radar (MILDAR) project, Communication Group, where we continue to work on data links of long-term projects like OMTAS, UMTAS, HISAR-A, HISAR-O and KEMENT. Our journey in the field of Underwater Acoustic Systems, which is our third main business, started with the decision of the Presidency of Defence Industries investment when Meteksan Defence was selected as the center of excellence in this field. From the lowest component to the sonar suite, which has become a product, we have a wide range of work in this field. MILGEM’s National Sonar System ‘YAKAMOS’ was made by Meteksan Defence. Our fourth main business is platform simulators. We have become a brand in the production of training simulators. We have exported the simulators (Fire and Damage Control Training Simulators) that we produced for the requirements of the Turkish Naval Forces Command to Oman and South Korea. We have recently signed a contract with a non-disclosed country for Damage Control Training Simulators. In our four main lines of business, we continue our activities with our staff of 270 people, most of whom are engineers.

Fire and Damage Control Training Simulators Increase the Awareness and Readiness of Navy Personnel in Case of Fire and Damage

Meteksan Defence provides the most up-to-date and modern solutions in its field with its Fire and Damage Control Training Simulators.  They are developed for the requirements of naval forces on a global scale and the company serves as the main contractor for the Fire and Damage Control Training Simulators project initiated by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) in order to meet the training requirements of the Naval Forces Command personnel working in surface, submarine, aerial platforms and coastal facilities in order to respond to fires and to extinguish  fires with appropriate methods. Within the scope of the project, the simulators were developed by Meteksan Defence and were built under Yıldızlar Surface Training Center Command which is under the command of the Naval Command in İzmit/Gölcük. Following the completion of the acceptance tests, Fire and Damage Control Training Simulators were delivered to the Naval Forces Command in Gölcük/İzmit with an official ceremony on June 16, 2016.

After developing the Fire and Damage Control Simulator and performing its first delivery for the Turkish Naval Forces Command, The Royal Navy of Oman awarded a contract to Meteksan Defence in 2012 and they have successfully delivered the system to this country in 2014. With the contract signed on February 24, 2017, the Republic of Korea Navy is set to become the third user of the Meteksan Defence’s Damage Control Simulator. The Damage Control Simulator of the Republic of Korea Navy contains certain differences from those built for Turkey and Oman. This simulator is about 35% larger, yet the deck and the compartment numbers are the same. The size enables the training of multiple repair parties at the same time in line with the preferred usage concept. The simulator has certain electronic system simulations such as IPMS which are used in modern ships, which is another distinction. The Integrated Platform Control and Management System (IPMSEPKIS) allows the processing of ship damage via an electronic board in a way to contain the automation and monitoring with this platform.

 A non-disclosed Gulf country was the last customer of the simulators which was manufactured in different configurations for customers in accordance with the requirements of Oman, the Republic of Korea and the Turkish Naval Forces Command.

The Staff is Ready for all Types of Challenging Conditions with Various Scenarios with the Fire Training Simulators

The Fire Training Simulator was developed to cover the training requests of the Naval Forces Command personnel operating at surface, underwater, air platforms and coastal facilities on fire – fighting and putting out fires through suitable methods. With the Fire Simulator the aim is to preventing the loss of life and property during highly dangerous and destructive platforms and rendering the personnel prepared for all types of scenarios in such dangerous cases. The Fire Training Simulator located in the facility where compartments and equipment of surface and underwater vessels are simulated, an effort test track is built offering a training opportunity for real fire cases with fire scenarios of different flame heights and with the feature of spreading the fire to different places within the same location or from one compartment to another.

The Fire Training Simulator’s compartments such as the engine room, chambers, dining hall, radio chamber, combat operation center, infirmary, and damage control center that offer training facilities for various types of fires at the training center are equipped and prepared in a true to life manner. Moreover, a mockup similar to the helicopter platform stationed at the BARBAROS Class (MEKO Track – II) in the Naval Forces inventory exists in the simulator. According to this, different types of training are offered as well for the fighting cockpit, cabin and engine fires and various fires that may be caused by fuel pellets on the platforms.

With the help of the Fire Training Simulator, various types of training composed of basic fire - fighting training, advanced level fire - fighting training, personal and team training, electricity/ fuel isolation, mechanic isolation, side section cooling and smoke removal applications are conducted in simulated real environments. There is also the facility to offer training for operating under limited vision which will contribute to the reality in addition to the different lighting and sound effect applications related with the fire scenarios. The system also renders the trainees prepared for potential cases by utilizing scenarios with alterable difficulty levels and in various environmental circumstances. The simulator allows the repetition of the same fire scenario until the trainee acts in the correct manner.

The scenarios with different difficulty levels are prepared by the trainers at the command control center of the simulator. The trainers and commanders can follow and continue the communication between the control station and fire control equipment and monitor the simulator’s security systems at the same time at the Command Control Center. Evaluations of personal and team performance within the various scenarios created with user selection are completed and then monitored and compared with the past training performance at the center. Furthermore, an Effort Test Track exists within the structure of the simulator which provide the staff the required physical capabilities for increasing their operational capacity under stress.

Realistic Training with High Standards for the Crew Through the Damage Control Simulator

The Damage Control Simulator is another capability gained through the facility and is among the platform simulators. It aims to provide the staff training and awareness which will enable immediate control of damage that may emerge as a result of various causes during times of peace, crisis and war and provide the transfer of the vessel to the nearest harbor for maintenance and repair. In the realistic training environment established for the execution of the training, there exists three decks (one open); and four compartments composed of an engine room, a pump room, a dining hall and crew accommodation space in the simulator.

With the help of this simulator, which has been realized completely through indigenous design, the hydraulic system allows for the swinging of 15 degrees in each direction to simulate a real sea environment.  These simulators replicate free water surfaces with limited vision and in different sea conditions.  Training types containing actual limits could be executed as well in mobile and irrigated compartment circumstances.  In order to support this type of training, communication, security, alarm, sound effects, light effects, artificial smoke and camera surveillance systems are developed through the utilization of improved products during design.

For the implementation of a realistic incident similar to that of boats taking on water, training in rising water levels in a compartment up to 140 cm can be simulated. As part of the simulator, in the compartments there are 41 low pressure, 13 high-pressure damage simulations, 4 flange simulations, and the execution of these various types of damage isolation techniques like shoring, driving quoin and wedge, patching etc. are possible. At the same time, damage control organization, casualty power cable laying, smoke exhausting and water discharging, plotting, training for carrying injured staff and operation of mobile fire engines are available in the various compartments of the simulator.  Both the damage control and fire training simulator enable the execution of training which are difficult to perform at sea and on the platforms, providing a realistic environment located on shore while allowing the personnel employed at sea, platforms and coastal facilities to maintain the highest level of damage control capabilities. Meteksan Defence has become a brand in platform simulators with its successive foreign sales.  

It launched the High-Frequency Millimeter Wave Radar - MILDAR development project - in 2007 to be used in ANKA, T129 ATAK Helicopters and UAV systems. One of the outputs of the MILDAR project, the Helicopter MILDAR transformed into the ready-for-mass production Automatic Take-Off and Landing System (OKIS) for UAV systems. Another output of the project, which can be used as a fire control or reconnaissance and surveillance radar in UCAV and UAV systems, MilSAR SAR/GMTI radar, previously dubbed as IHA MILDAR, is currently waiting for its first flight test.

International Sales and Corporate Reputation Executive Burak AKBAŞ: “We Will Introduce MilSAR SAR Radar for the First Time at IDEF Fair”

BATUM also shared important information at the meeting about the Millimeter Wave Radar (MILDAR) research and development (R&D) project, which was started by Meteksan Defence in 2007. BATUM said that with the decision made by the Presidency of Defence Industries, they started to develop the first phase of the millimeter wave radar operating in high frequency, “After a four-year period, we completed the first phase with the TÜBİTAK R&D award in some sub-systems. The Presidency of Defence Industries then opened the second phase. In the second phase, we decided to develop three different products in the millimeter wave band. We started to work on fire-control radar for the T129 ATAK helicopter, Automatic Take-Off and Landing Radar (OKIS) with GPS jamming protection for the ANKA Platform and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) for UAV systems. We successfully completed the flight tests of the MILDAR fire-control radar on the T129 ATAK helicopter as well as tested OKIS system with BAYRAKTAR platform other than ANKA platform. We completed the flight tests. We will start the flight tests with MİLSAR in 2019.”

International Sales and Corporate Reputation Executive Mr. Burak AKBAS, made additions to President BATUM’s statements about MilSAR.”For the first time you will hear the name of the system which was previously known as ‘IHA MILDAR’, it is now called ‘MilSAR’ The specifications are similar to its competitors, but it will be smaller and lighter in size. We plan to make the first demonstration of this radar at IDEF 2019.”

BATUM:  “OKIS was Removed from Some of the ANKA Configurations for Various Commercial Reasons”

BATUM stated that the Automatic Take-Off and Landing System, which was directly procured from the United States in the past years, is now a national product. “The OKIS system has been partially removed from some of the configurations of the ANKA platform for various commercial reasons. If customer requests or an offer comes from a country where the ANKA platform is sold, the OKIS system will be activated. In the meantime, we had meetings with Baykar Makina, the designer of the AKINCI platform, which is a much bigger platform and we would like to be the part of that project with OKİS.”

BATUM also informed the press attendees about the latest developments on the MİLDAR Fire-Control Radar. “The T129 ATAK helicopter becomes quite heavy with its combat load. The Land Forces Command does not want to reduce the weapon capacity of its payload. Meanwhile, the Defence Industry Executive Committee (SSIK) decided to start the ATAK-II program. ATAK-II will be a fairly heavy platform, and the fire-control radar will be in that configuration.

But until that stage, there is a lot of work to be done, such as concept development and avionics integration, therefore we want to use the MILDAR Fire-Control Radar on at least one or two of the available configurations supplied. We are working on this with Turkish Aerospace at the moment and with the initiative of the Land Forces Command and SSB. The system will be integrated into one or two T129 ATAK helicopters if there is a convenient time and place. Our expectation is that this process will be completed as soon as possible, and the system will become operational.”

Selçuk ALPARSLAN, Vice President of Systems and Product Engineering Management: “We Made a New Version of MILDAR Fire Control Radar that is Lighter and only a Quarter of its Previous Size.”

The Vice President, Systems and Product Engineering Management Selcuk ALPARSLAN stated that they started to develop the MILDAR Fire Control Radar in 2007 and added: “The integration of the radar system to the platform is not carried out in a single phase, we have completed the development phase between 2007 and 2011. The product that emerged in this period was a system that was verified on ground conditions by considering the flight conditions. In the later phase, we aimed for a platform-verified system, with this system, several sorties were performed in various flight maneuvers and its performance in the field was confirmed. 

This was a very important step, but verification on an aircraft does not mean that the system is part of the final aircraft configuration. We concluded the verification process on the platform in the second stage, we are now in the third stage. We will be involved in the ATAK-II program, but until we get there we are working with Turkish Aerospace, SSB and Land Forces Command if we can be a part of the current ATAK configuration. I’d like to give you precious information about these systems. The configuration of the MILDAR Fire Control Radar that is planned to be integrated onto the ATAK Helicopter, which is compared with the Apache Longbow Fire Control Radar, will be only a quarter of its previous size. We will also show off the new smaller MILDAR configuration at IDEF 2019.”

The Capabilities of the T129 ATAK Helicopter to Ascend with MILDAR Fire Control Radar

Developed by Meteksan Defence for the attack helicopters, operating in millimeter wave frequency, search/track and fire control radar, Helicopter - MILDAR, with its target detection and tracking function can create a terrain profile and track multiple targets at the same time. In harsh weather conditions that weakens the performance of electro-optical systems, Helicopter MILDAR provides positional awareness in low altitude and low visibility situations.  In addition to its operational advantages it also brings some vital capabilities to ATAK capabilities like directing electro-optical systems to the target and quick reaction times in engagements. Helicopter - MILDAR, which is the first fire control radar in Turkey that operates in millimeter wave frequency was accepted by the Presidency of Defence Industries on June 23, 2017 and the system became eligible for mass production.

The developed fire control radar will not be included in the original conformation of the partially delivered 50-unit T129 ATAK Phase-1 and Phase-2 helicopter package. However, as a result of the negotiations with the authorities, a plan has been set to operate the system on at least 1 or 2 helicopters. In recent months, with a decision from the Defence Industry Executive Committee, ATAK-2 program, which is expected to be 8 tons, has been initiated and Helicopter-MILDAR fire control radar will be one of the main critical payloads of this configuration. However, the decision is yet to be made on whether to mount the radar, under the fuselage, in the helicopter’s nose or above the main rotor like the Longbow fire control radar on the APACHE helicopter.

The First Phase of the MILDAR Project was Completed Between 2007-2011

The “Development of Millimeter Wave Radar Techniques for Land Target Engagements” Project was conducted between the years 2007-2011 as TÜBİTAK Project 1007 by Meteksan Defence as the contractor and Bilkent University as the sub-contractor and was accomplished successfully. With this project named MILDAR-I, millimeter wave radar techniques for a multi-functional sensor system that would contribute to the safe cruise of platforms that could meet ground and air target acquisition and classification, surveillance and engagement requirements within the scope of the task area of a ground platform were achieved. The second phase that the “Development of and Advanced Millimeter Wave Radar for Air Platforms” dubbed as MILDAR-II Project was activated as a sequel to the first project with the contract signed between SSB and Meteksan Defence on 28 June 2013.

The Millimeter Wave is known as the range of frequencies from 30 to 300 gigahertz (this range is the highest radio frequency, band). It enables radar designs with low-weight, volume and power requirement, high mobility, high angular resolution, high Doppler bandwidth, and low detection.  With the MILDAR I Project, in addition to the nationally developed software and indigenous signal processing methods Turkey gained technologies in terms of reduction in volume, high-frequency antenna, RF- microwave design and production capacity, multi-functional radar algorithms in the period between 2007-2011.

RETINAR-PTR has Become Operational at an Airport in Europe

BATUM stated that Meteksan Defence with its accumulated knowledge and experience in sensors started to develop the RETINAR-PTR Perimeter Surveillance Radar six years ago. “We met with the Security Forces to identify their needs then we launched our product three years ago. Of course, this was quite an exhausting process. It took a considerable amount of time for us to develop a product through our own resources, introduce it and wait for them to accept it to their inventory.

It prompted us to place a greater emphasis on foreign markets believing that we cannot sell it at home. Indeed, we have seen the interest we expect abroad, and we have sold this product to a country by competing technically and commercially with the world’s leading manufacturers in this field. Of course, our country was in a different and difficult period at that time. Following that period, when we resumed our activities in Turkey, Land Forces Command was very interested in the subject. We did field trials in very harsh conditions. Ultimately, it showed Turkey’s need for an alternative product and it quickly entered the Land Forces Command’s inventory. Later, it entered the inventory of General Command of Gendarmerie. Then, it entered the inventory of airfields in the civilian sector. Recently it has become operational at an airport in Europe. It is an important indicator for us to find a customer not only in countries where technology is superior but also in Europe.”

International Sales and Corporate Reputation Executive Burak AKBAS, announced that RETINAR-PTR Perimeter Surveillance Radar which was exported to an unnamed European country for operational use in airports, became active after system integration was recently completed.

Meteksan Defence announced on Twitter on July 12, 2018, that RETINAR-PTR Perimeter Surveillance Radar, has been selected as the perimeter security system of an airport, which is located in the capital of a non-disclosed European country, and the contract has been signed. The statement also announced that the system will be operational after its integration by the end of 2018.

 In the Last quarter of 2017, Meteksan Defence also made the first export contract of the RETINAR PTR, the lightest member of the RETINAR family, with a non-disclosed East Asian Country. In this tender, Meteksan Defence competed with a total of 12 radar manufacturers from around the world and managed to stay on the shortlist with two other European radar manufacturer companies and secured a tender through technical-commercial scoring.

The RETINAR PTR-X Perimeter Surveillance Radar and RETINAR OPUS Perimeter Surveillance System

The RETINAR PTR-X Perimeter Surveillance Radar, designed for stationary use in critical facilities or on vehicles, removes the dependency on operators of the security forces working with conventional camera systems and of civilian security institutions as well as the elimination of errors. With its advanced micro-doppler algorithms, it can detect distant targets and transmit information automatically to the operators, thus making it possible to use existing camera systems more efficiently.

 The RETINAR OPUS Perimeter Surveillance System, the other member of this product family, stands out as a model which is fully integrated with day / thermal camera systems of the RETINAR PTR-X. The radar and thermal / day camera systems work with their own router units, without shading each other on a single mast. Thanks to the full integration of radar and thermal / day cameras, the system also provides superior drone detection and tracking performance to its users.

RETINAR PTR - Agile Surveillance Providing Swiftness in the Field

Retinar PTR is the man-portable model of Meteksan Defence’s RETINAR Perimeter Surveillance Radar Family. It is small in size and light weight. The high-technology radar system was developed for use in surveillance operations such as perimeter security of critical facilities, border security, and agile surveillance carried out by patrolling mobile personnel.

The system stands out with an enhanced user interface, compact structure, lightness, and low power consumption. With its total weight of twenty-five kilograms, it can be carried operationally by two personnel in its special backpacks and can be used in a mobile capacity on a tripod with its batteries. The radar consists of a small size antenna and signal processing units integrated to the antenna and it is connected to a pan/tilt unit. This configuration can be installed in less than 5 minutes. For mobile operations, 2 - 6 battery blocks can be carried in backpacks depending on the period of use. The system also has an optional portable power supply/battery charging unit that can be fed from any kind of power source. The user can operate it with two battery cartridges for about 8 hours. This, in turn, provides swiftness in the tactical field.

Through its special Wi-Fi antennas, RETINAR PTR can be remotely controlled from a distance of up to 1 km, and it has the ability to communicate with smart phones and tablets via special mobile apps. RETINAR PTR can be easily integrated with all camera systems, and it features slew-to-cue for cameras and stabilized weapon platforms.

It also generates the Doppler signature of the target and provides classification information whether it’s a vehicle, human or animal with micro-doppler spectrogram analysis. With this specification RETINAR PTR, mobile objects that are the size of a human or an animal can be detected, tracked and classified from a distance of 4 km, as well as vehicles from a distance of 10 km with minimum error.

Meteksan Defence to Debut “KAPAN” Anti-Drone System at IDEF19’

BATUM emphasized that they continue to develop new derivatives of RETINAR-PTR Perimeter Surveillance Radar and add new products to their portfolios, “RETINAR family products are becoming more and more mature each day. As a result of the constantly changing technologies and threats, the drone issue was on our agenda. The fact that our product has a high precision capacity as it operates at a very high frequency, gives us a preliminary advantage on this issue. We thought about what we could do about anti drone systems and developed the anti-drone model of RETINAR. When developing the anti-drone system, we wanted to utilize an open architecture design which enables the system to be integrated with Jammers, laser weapons and reconfigured according to customer needs. We decided not to work outside of our own field. We contacted and collaborated with the best players from the sector doing business in this field. Within this scope, we have taken important steps and completed the system design of the anti-drone system which we call KAPAN. We started field tests. So far, we have achieved very successful results which had never been seen before in these tests and we will have this product ready at the end of the year and we will debut our new product at IDEF 2019.”

BATUM: “We have Exported Radar Altimeter to a Central Asian Country”

BATUM also shared some information with the press about altimeters, an important product they continue to develop in the sensor category. “First, we will introduce a 2500ft version, a 5000ft will follow soon, in the end, we will reveal an 8000ft version. Our altimeters are actively used onboard current Turkish airborne platforms and munitions. We considered that our product has potential in the export market and exported this product to a Central Asian country. After the conclusion of the acceptance tests, we have successfully completed the deliveries. They use our radar altimeters on their platforms.”

BATUM: “Meteksan Defence Developed the Data Links of ‘HISAR’ Short and Medium Altitude Missile Defence Systems”

BATUM stated that during the years when the capability to guide the missiles didn’t exist through communication systems, “Meteksan Defence was selected as a subcontractor under Aselsan, the prime contractor, for OMTAS and UMTAS missiles and started working on the development of data-link systems. Our data-link solution is pretty light, we have achieved incredible performance with a compact design. This success was quite effective in positioning Meteksan Defence as the data-link company of Turkey. Then, when the Low and Medium Altitude HISAR projects were initiated, we were assigned again. Of course, the technology used here is much more advanced and complicated. Guiding more than one missile in the air is a whole new level of technology; in this regard, we have managed to deliver a very successful product. In the near term, mass production contracts of HISAR systems will be signed, then we will proceed with our mass production process. During this process, since we designed these products, we have established a significant production infrastructure. We have the capacity to mass produce all of these projects under our own roof.”

BATUM: “Turkey will see the National Tactical Data Link Project very soon”

BATUM provided detailed information about their responsibility in the KEMENT project “Within the scope of the KEMENT project, we completed the factory acceptance tests of most of the data link terminals which will be used on different platforms. The Presidency of Defence Industries and Land Forces Command have tested them in their own test centers and received incredible results. We managed to deliver a product with a data rate that is four-time faster and which weighs a quarter of its counterparts. This brought us to a different level with data links. This has created a common perception that some of the critical products we buy from abroad could be produced domestically. We’re very proud of that. The National Tactical Data Link project, which has been on the shelf for a long time, has re-emerged after the success of the KEMENT project. The Presidency of Defence industries is trying to conceptualize a project and Turkey will see the National Tactical Data Link Project very soon. Our expectation is to sign a contract in this respect and start to work as soon as possible. As a result of our experience from data-link projects, we started explore the other fields in which we have foreign dependency and we realized that C-Band data-links of UAV systems, especially in an environment where UAV systems become a hot topic, are procured from abroad. So, we started a study through our own resources. We will commence field tests by the end of November. We determined the system requirements with the manufacturers of ANKA and BAYRAKTAR UAV systems. They are also planning to start their flight tests at the end of this year, and of course, we received the opinion of the Land Forces Command.  We are planning to debut this product at IDEF with noted export potential.”

Vice President of Business Development and Project Management, Özgür CANKARA: “The National Sonar Developed by Meteksan Defence will be Used in Pakistani MILGEM Corvettes.”

The President of Meteksan Defence Tunc BATUM, Vice President of Business Development and Project Management, Özgür CANKARA, evaluated the company’s current projects on underwater defence systems. CANKARA stated that Meteksan Defence was entrusted with the task of industrializing the national sonar unit. The first prototype of the national sonar unit was developed by the Research Center Command (ARMERKOM), within the Naval Forces Command. “This project became one of the most successful industrialization models in the defence industry. This system, in terms of both retrofit, maintenance, repair, marketing and sales, has become a true product of Meteksan Defence. Our next aim with this product is to export it, and we are pretty lucky on this topic because recently, our MILGEM corvettes were exported to Pakistan. Of course, this doesn’t automatically mean that the National Sonar was exported to this country as this platform was exported. For a long time, the Pakistan Navy has been using other countries’ sonar systems. In order to use our own national sonar system, we made a tremendous effort with the support of ASFAT (Military Factories and Shipyards Management) and we manage to convince the Pakistan Navy. The sonar system was added to the main contract and we will assume the responsibility in this project with the production of the platform.”

CANKARA also stated that as a result of the feedback from customers, they are currently working on a new advanced version of YAKAMOS and added that they aim to showcase a new generation of the system at IDEF 2019.” 

Meteksan Defence Produces the Wet-ends and Dry-ends of MILGEM Corvette’s National Sonar

In 2009, Meteksan Defence was selected by the Undersecretariat of Defence Industries as the “Acoustics Excellence Center “for the industrialization of the Wet-ends of National Sonar and undertook the industrialization of the underwater parts of the YAKAMOS sonar. Meteksan Defence, under the Sonar Wet-end Project signed with Aselsan, played an important role in the national production of the sonar wet-ends of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th ships of the MILGEM project. Within the scope of the project, sonar wet-ends of the 2nd MILGEM ship “TCG Büyükada” and the 3rd MILGEM ship “TCG Burgazada” were delivered to Aselsan and the Naval Forces Command on April 20, 2012, and on March 9, 2017, respectively. The final delivery of the project, the Sonar wet-ends of the 4th MILGEM Ship “TCG Kınalıada”, was completed 8 months ahead of the contract schedule and delivered on March 7, 2018, after the successful conclusion of factory acceptance tests. As a continuation of this project, the task of industrializing the dry-ends of the YAKAMOS National Sonar was given to Meteksan Defence with the agreement signed with Aselsan on 16 November 2016. Within the scope of the project, Meteksan Defence was assigned with the tasks of industrialization, testing, delivery and integrated logistics support of the sonar dry-ends of the 3rd MILGEM Ship “TCG Burgazada” and the 4th MILGEM Ship “TCG Kınalıada”. Sonar Dry-ends, of the 3rd MİLGEM Corvette “TCG Burgazada”, was delivered within a period of 14 months after the conclusion of its configuration level factory acceptance tests (FAT) on December 12, 2017, and factory acceptance tests on January 25, 2018.

CANKARA: “Under MÜREN Project, we have Indigenously Developed the first Intercept Sonar”

CANKARA stated that after the successful work on surface platforms, they initiated a study to modernize the sonar systems of the modernization projects implemented in submarine platforms, with local capabilities. “We signed a contract for the national development of sub-electronics in the MÜREN project, which was initiated by TÜBİTAK in order to produce electronic systems with local capabilities. We continue our studies to implement the systems, which we have developed for surface platforms, in other submarine platforms starting from our PREVEZE Class submarine vessels in the upcoming years.” 

MÜREN Combat Management System - Primary Electronic and Signal Processing Hardware and Software of Sonar and Underwater Acoustic Systems are Developed Nationally

 Indigenous Integrated Submarine Combat Management System (MÜREN CMS) of the PREVEZE Class Submarines in the TNFC’s inventory, is developed by TÜBİTAK BİLGEM (Informatics and Information Security Research Center) while the Primary Electronic and Signal Processing Hardware and Software of Sonar and Underwater Acoustic Systems, a crucial element of the MÜREN Combat Management System, is indigenously developed and produced by Meteksan Defence. TÜBİTAK BİLGEM and Meteksan Defence signed a Procurement Agreement on July 31, 2018, to provide Sonar subsystems (SBS) for the implementation of the indigenous Integrated Submarine Combat Management System on PREVEZE class regarding MÜREN CMS integration.

Within the scope of the project, the on-board units of the Combat Management System included in  PREVEZE class submarines will be modernized together with the Research Center Command (ARMEKOM) affiliated to the TÜBİTAK-Bilgem and Naval Forces Command, and will be integrated with 20 different sensors and navigation systems; sonar signal processing, target movements analysis, ship navigation, orbit planning of different torpedoes, especially all analyzes will be confirmed by domestic and national algorithms. It has been planned to complete the MÜREN-PREVEZE system for 4 PREVEZE Class submarines in the TNFC’s inventory at the end of 72 months. The project aims to completely eliminate the foreign dependency of sonar, underwater acoustic systems and Integrated Submarine Combat Management Systems. 

Investing in Directed Infrared Countermeasure Systems (DIRCM)

Vice President Systems and Product Engineering Management, Selçuk ALPARSLAN emphasized that Meteksan Defence has been conducting comprehensive technology-based studies on lasers in collaboration with Bilkent University since 2010. He stated that, because Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS) have become a worldwide threat, instead of traditional countermeasure systems, the use of laser countermeasure systems called DIRCM has increased. He also commented on the investments they made in this field: “ As Meteksan Defence, we make laser sources and receivers in different wavelengths. Both Meteksan Defence and Bilkent University have respective laser laboratories and we are conducting joint studies in these laboratories. In addition to that, we are also trying to create an interactive environment and synergy with all the institutions, organizations and private companies in Turkey on laser systems. The physics behind generating lasers is known today, but there are problems with generating high-power lasers and integrating these systems into platforms. We are talking about directing a very sensitive beam. We have the advantage of in-depth electronic and mechanical design knowledge and experience that we have gained through our studies. We strive to turn lasers into a complete system apart from producing it physically. We are conducting laboratory and field tests, but as you can understand, we are talking about highly sensitive studies here and we are not authorized to make any announcements. We will share information on the studies that we have conducted soon after we have obtained results and the necessary permissions. I could say that it will be a system that will achieve sensational success.”

Concluding the conference, President of Meteksan Defence Tunç Batum addressed the sector stated that they aim to create a Meteksan Defence that expands its portfolio with new products.  He noted predictions for an increase in the share of their foreign sales in total turnover into the 20% range in the next five years.

Meteksan Defence, which expanded its product portfolio and managed to reflect its organic growth in its total turnover, increased its domestic and international sales to US$ 34 million in 2017. President of Meteksan Defence Tunç BATUM, in his statement on July, shared with the public that they aimed to increase the total domestic and foreign sales figures to more than US$ 100 million in the next five years. It is certainly not an easy task to reach these targeted figures, the final result could be lower or higher than what was declared. However, we can say in advance that Meteksan Defence, with its high technology product portfolio, rational and target-oriented business development policies, will be a very important player especially in the export market in the short and medium term