6th Naval Systems Seminar Gathered Naval Professionals
In his opening remark, Mr. Zafer Betoner mentioned that this seminar was essential for sharing the sectorial information and that he was pleased with the increase in the participation and expressed his gratitude to the participants and shareholders. METU’s Vice President Volkan Atalay made an opening speech as well and stated that qualified human resources, technology transfer and transfer of the acquired know-how to the sector through obtaining patent and licensing for the projects and products are aimed in University-Defence Industry Cooperation.
Turkey’s Gross Domestic Expense on R&D for year 2012 is 6,5 Billion US Dollars
Atalay stated that American Universities were still the most effective ones in the world and added that according to a study on World’s best research universities, 7 American universities were listed in the top 10. Atalay emphasized that the American Universities were the world’s leaders in research and pointed out that the 20% of the researches published in the world belonged to American Universities. Atalay added that where U.S.A allocates approximately 400 billion US Dollars for Governmental and Private research and development activities each year, Turkey only allocates 6,5 billion US Dollars according to 2012 data.
Stating that 13 Turkish Universities were ranked between 200th and 500th places in the list, Atalay expressed that in order to increase the number of universities and for the rise of the existing ones in the list, the financial support to R&D studies should increase and required legal regulations should be immediately realized.
Deputy Undersecretary of SSM Mr. Sedat Güldoğan mentioned that in 2005 as a country they initiated their efforts to bring prominent projects in the maritime sector and that back in then the size of the projects were around the level of 2 billion US Dollars whereas now this figure is much higher. Güldoğan continued, “I think we completed the first round. Within these past 7-8 years, we delivered many platforms and continuing to do so”.
Güldoğan: “There is a need for a new consolidation in Maritime Sector”
Expressing that the sector has been going through a test as a whole with system integrators, sub-systems, sub-industry and platform producers on outcome and Project basis and told that they have successfully accomplished the first round. Güldoğan underlined that following this procedure, projects of greater volumes such as TF-2000, Turkish Type Assault Boat, MILGEM’s mass production were on their agenda and that they believed within the 20 years period the sector would grow greater however the remaining infrastructure would become insufficient. Güldoğan said “It seems as if there is a need for a new consolidation here. While the number of projects increases, the numbers of firms that desire to take part in these projects grow higher as well. If we take a look at the World, we see one shipyard in the U.S.A and one in each European country. Furthermore, the European countries are considering ways of consolidating the number of shipyards in every country. Their concern is that they could not advance with this number of shipyards and they discuss ways of getting by with this structure”. Güldoğan remarked that Turkey should be discussing these points before starting the second round and added “These arguments should be made in the level of system suppliers and shipyards. What should be the structure? Should there be a single company? How should it be represented? This structure should be considered before the start of the second round”.
The Contract Amount Signed for Defence Industry Projects Exceeded 45,4 Billion Turkish Liras
In the opening speeches of the seminar, SSM Naval Platforms Department’s Amphibious Ship Group’s Project Manager Mr. Ali Vasfi Demirtaş made a detailed presentation to the participants on the projects conducted by SSM, size, goals, expectations of the sector and the latest state of the naval platform projects. Demirtaş mentioned that they were executing 310 projects as the SSM , 180 of these projects’ agreements were signed and the amount of the projects with sealed contracts were 45,4 billion TL in 2012 figures. Demirtaş continued, “Turkey’s Aviation and Defence Turnover increased to 4,75 billion US Dollars from 4,38 billion US Dollars in 2012 figures. The aimed figure is determined as 8 billion US Dollars according to the strategic plan of 2012-2016. Exports of Defence Industry in Aviation is currently 1,26 billion US Dollars and our target for 2016 is 2 billion US Dollars. In our R&D studies we reached to a level of 773 million US Dollars with a 100 million US Dollars increase in last year’s figures”.
Demirtaş stated that Turkey was in the 24.position in exports ranking and in 11.position in imports ranking in the World and added that as SSM their priorities were a sustainable and competitive industry, program management and technological competence according to the strategic plan for 2012-2016.
Naval Platforms Projects Executed by the SSM Exceeded 8 Billion US Dollars
Demirtaş remarked that as the Naval Platforms Group they have conducted 24 projects so far and that the size of the projects exceeded 8 billion US Dollars. 2 MILGEM vessels, 3 Coast Guard Search and Rescue Vessels, 11 New Type Patrol Boats, 18 Emergency Response Boats, 4 modernized SAR-35 type Boats, 8 Coast Guard Boats (each of 25 tons), 8 Amphibious Vessels (Landing Craft Tank-LCT), 2 SAT (Underwater Offence Team) Boats, 22 Coast Guard Boats (each 90 tons), 2 Immediate Response Patrol Boats, 7 Customs Patrol Boats, 4 Health Services Motor Boats and 1 Improved Emergency Response Boats have been delivered to the authorities from the last quarter of year 2012 up to date.
Demirtaş mentioned that deliveries of the naval platforms would continue in 2014 and that they were planning to deliver 1 Submarine Rescue Vessel, 4 New Type Patrol Boats, 2 SAR-33 Boats and 1 Coast Guard Search and Rescue Vessel within this year.
TF-2000 Project’ Design Phase is Planned to Start in Short Term
Demirtaş expressed that as the Naval Platforms Group they were planning to bring many projects into life in the short term and added that call of tenders for some of such projects were made while conceptual and feasibility studies for others continued. Demirtaş mentioned that Landing Platform Dock (LPD), MILGEM 3 and 4 vessels, Air-Cushion Landing Craft (LCAC), TF-2000 Project Design Phase, Preveze Class Submarine Modernization Project, Fleet Replenishment Vessel Construction, National Submarine Conceptual Design, Emergency Response and Diving Training Boat and New Underwater Offence Team Deployment Boat projects could be brought to life.
Sector Strategy for Naval Platforms is Changing
SSM Naval Platforms Department’s Amphibious Ship Group’s Project Manager Ali Vasfi Demirtaş said that they would be making several changes in the strategy for naval platforms for enabling the sustainability of the sector and added that the companies would have to determine their future plans accordingly. Demirtaş mentioned that the long-term sector strategy to be determined under SSM’s coordination would be considered under four main chapters and stated that consolidation studies for Support and Amphibious Vessels, Battleships and Patrol Boats and Submarine Platforms would be conducted.
Aselsan Becomes the Underwater and Surface Technology Center
On behalf of Aselsan which is one the main sponsors Naval Systems Programme Director Mr. Suat Bengür made a presentation titled “Military Vessel Construction through the Perspective of the Warfare Systems Integrator”. Stating that with a decision of Aselsan’s Board they started a systematic study in line with an underwater and surface road map in 2006 Bengür said they gained significant experience on naval warfare systems, censors, and communication and integration issues within the framework of MILGEM, New Type Patrol Boat, Coast Guard Search and Rescue Vessel projects. Bengür emphasized that they acquired the capacity they gained in surface at underwater and added that Aselsan became a technology center in the aspect of underwater torpedo measures. Bengür concluded, “This is a product of teamwork. With the contributions of Bilkent University, Middle East Technical University, Yıldız Technical University, TUBITAK, Anadolu University and more than 50 sub-contractors, we delivered our torpedo countermeasure products to our Naval Forces and launched exporting activities”.
Havelsan Installed Link-16 Capacity to Gabya Class Frigates
Havelsan’s Naval Combat Systems Group Head Assoc.Prof. Serdar Müldür made a detailed presentation on Havelsan’s main activities, personnel and ongoing projects at the seminar. Pointing out that Havelsan accomplished a total sales of 207 million US Dollars in 2012 (116 million US Dollars of domestic income, 91 million US Dollars of foreign-based income) in 2012 Müldür underlined that the company had significant capabilities on Command Control, Training-Test Simulation, Administrative Information Systems and security systems. Müldür mentioned that they accomplished the modernization of Genesis Combat Management System of 8 Gabya Class Frigates and added that they were conducting a study for incorporating a link 16 capacity to these platforms and that 6 vessels already had the link-16 capacity where last two vessels were expected to acquire such capacity in future months. In addition to these modernization projects, Müldür said that they received a demand from the supplier authority for equipping 4 Frigates with 3-dimensional radars and pointed out that such radars have been installed on two of these vessels.
Havelsan Delivered Combat Managements Systems of 12. Boat of New Type Patrol Boats (YTKB)
Müldür expressed that the acceptance tests of the 12. Boat in New Type Patrol Boat Project has been accomplished and that they delivered the combat managements systems to the shipyard. Telling that they signed an agreement with ADIK on combat system integration and SYS supply within the context of Landing Ship Tank (LST) Project, Serdar Müldür continued “We shall include new capacities to the Landing Ship through this Project. Genesis system shall have an amphibious operation capacity”.
MILGEM Corvette’s 4.Vessel Shall Have a Network Enabled Data Combat Management System
Stressing that the combat systems and combat management systems of MILGEM Corvette’s 3rd and 4th vessels which are to be constructed by İstanbul Naval Shipyard Command shall be provided by Aselsan and Havelsan’s business partnership Müldür additionally gave important information on R&D projects, network supported data combat management system that Aselsan has been working on for a while. Müldür said, “We have been conducting an R&D study together with ARMERKOM personnel of Naval Forces Command. We are preparing the laboratory products of the ADVENT network based combat management system. We shall launch this system in MILGEM’s 4th corvette”.
Recent Developments in Naval Sector Discussed in the Seminar
Presentations on the following issues were given in the seminar that lasted for two days; Scalable KMS Architecture, submarine communication solutions, torpedo firing control systems, need for renovation in ship design processes, Local Industry participation in the development, supply and Life Cycle support of platform control systems, the Next Generation Fast Patrol Boat, sound attenuator designs for diesel-engine vessels, the Design of Cost-effective, Multi-Role Vessels for EEZ Patrol, Optimization of Gas Turbine Propulsion for Fast Naval Craft, Radio Tactical Network Communication System, Spanish Navy Future Frigate Program: the F-110, Real-time Acoustic Signal Processor, Naval Electro-Optical/Navigation Systems and Tactic Training Simulator for Naval Forces.
