Aselsan Featured Underwater Torpedo Counter Measure Systems in Qatar
Aselsan attended DIMDEX 2014 Doha International Maritime and Defence Exhibition that took place between 25-27 March in Doha, Qatar and exhibited its signal systems, naval combat systems and underwater and surface counter measure systems to the participants during the fair.
On the second day of the fair, Aselsan’s Director of Naval Systems Suat Bengür presented statements to Defence Turkey magazine regarding Zargana and Zoka systems existing in the inventory of Turkish Naval Forces Command in order to meet the Command’s underwater and surface counter measure solution requirements. Bengür pointed out that Aselsan attached great importance to underwater acoustics lately and said “Torpedoes are the greatest threat to submarines; we developed jammers and decoys for protecting the submarines from torpedoes and delivered these to the Turkish Naval Forces. We named the ones to be exported abroad “Zargana” and entitled the jammers and decoys within the Zargana as “Zoka”. These are passive systems and they do not shoot the torpedo but they overpower the torpedo and clear it away”.
Aselsan is Preparing for Active Defence Systems
Bengür mentioned that the system moved in 8 Knots speed and added that this speed could be adapted to meet the demands of the users. Bengür said, “8 Knots speed is a result of an experience and it is enough to mislead a chasing, this is a passive system that functions merely by processing the signals. There are also more complicated new-generation torpedoes. In this technological war, as Aselsan and Turkey, we reached a level that we could supply the state-of-the-art and high-end products to the Turkish navy. We are preparing ourselves for the active defence systems at the moment. This means that by using the smart systems you develop and sending small torpedoes, you will draw the incoming torpedo and when this torpedo approaches, the small explosives will blow and destroy it away. We envision a technological transition from Functional Destruction (Soft-Kill) to Physical Destruction at this level”.
“Hızır” is Ready for Protecting Surface Ships
One of Aselsan’s favorite products demonstrated during the fair was Hızır system developed for the National Ship project Milgem. Hızır system was designed in a way to be used under all tough sea conditions in corvettes and surface ships of greater tonnages. It can detect the threatening torpedo sooner than its equaivalents and thus gain the platform a vital amount of time while managing reconnaissance under harsh circumstances.
Suat Bengür extended information on the development process and operating principles and underlined that the system has been developed by Aselsan through company’s own resources and is ready to serve. “We developed the product within the scope of R&D studies and put it into production. From now on, Hızır System will be used primarily in Milgem and then in the Landing Platform Dock (LPD) and Landing Ship, Tank (LST). This system detects the incoming torpedoes from long distances and thus protects our surface ships. Recognizing the threat remotely is of essence at his point. It can perceive the remote torpedoes through a special sound perception directory. With the help of this directory, it perceives the remote threats and distinguishes if it is coming from the left side of the ship or from the right side and then determines what to do, fires the jammers and decoys from the special launchers mounted on the ship. Eventually the ship moves away without getting damaged by the threat” added Bengür.
Bengür also mentioned that during the developing process of Hızır system, they designed both the model to be used in Turkey with special capabilities and the export model together and added that as Aselsan they now have the capacity to compete with the world companies in this arena. “While realizing this project, we collaborated with Bilkent University, TÜBİTAK, Middle East Technical University, Yıldız Technical University and SMEs in Ankara and İstanbul. Under the control of our National Defense Ministry, we will export these products abroad to the permitted countries” added Bengür.
Turkey Plans to Develop its own Torpedo
Bengür stated that as Aselsan, they have been involved in the Naval Systems since 2006 and have drawn a relevant road map to this end and said “Understanding underwater, perceiving the underwater threats, eliminating them and developing our own defence weapon existed in our road map. Within 6-7 years, we acquired underwater and surface counter measure defence capability. By manufacturing the decoy, we actually produced a mini torpedo. There are batteries, engines and electronic systems within this system therefore it is actually a mini torpedo. This system is able to function in 300-600 m depths. A certain design capability is required in order to build such systems in respect of the impermeability and pressure aspects and Aselsan has this capability. There are no explosives in this system. Turkey has a project of manufacturing its own torpedo. The Undersecretariat for Defense Industries and Naval Forces Command are working on this subject. With the experience and knowledge we gained in this project, we are ready to assume the required roles. One could say that with the experiences gained, Turkey is now at the point of manufacturing its own torpedoes”. Bengür added that Aselsan has not been assigned to such a task yet but as the project matures, they would like to take part in the project with other solution partners together with the indigenous infrastructure in Turkey.
Aselsan’s Jammers and Decoys can be Fired from “Class 209” Submarines’ Signal Ejector
Bengür gave information on the potential export points of these products and systems and said, “We accomplished the very first in respect with these jammers and decoys. Usually these jammers and decoys are fired from 10-12” launches in submarines. As Aselsan, we broke a new ground in this respect. The jammers and decoys can be fired both from the launches and from the Signal Ejector in which they are placed in. We are the only company to manufacture jammers and decoys that can be fired from such Signal Ejector in the world for the time being”.
Bengür stated that there are 82 Ay class “Class 209” submarines in the world and added that this system is compatible with these submarines and jammers and decoys can be fired from the Signal Ejector of the submarines of the aforementioned class. Bengür underlined that studies for the modernization of “Class 209” are continuing in many regions and added that there are no finalized contracts for the time being and that they are expecting positive developments in the future.
Aselsan accomplished the delivery of acoustic decoys and jammers developed for the Preveze and Gür Class Submarines to the Turkish Naval Forces Command at 2013 last quarter. Within deliveries accomplished under the scope of “Acoustic Decoy System for Submarines (DAKA) Project”, Turkish navy obtained modern “Soft-Kill” Torpedo Counter Measure systems. Before the deliveries of the systems utilized in Preveze and Gür Class Submarines, Zoka and Zargana torpedo counter measure systems were developed by Aselsan for Ay Class Submarines and were delivered.
