MKE 76/62mm Naval Gun Rapid-Fire Test Conducted Successfully
The Rapid-Fire Test of the 76mm 62 caliber National Naval Gun, domestically developed and produced by Mechanical and Chemical Industry Incorporated Company (MKE), was conducted on December 2, 2021 at the Karapınar Shooting Range in Konya with the participation of Minister of National Defense Hulusi AKAR, Chief of Turkish General Staff Gen. Yaşar GÜLER, Commander of the Turkish Land Forces Gen. Musa AYSEVER, Commander of the Turkish Naval Forces Admiral Adnan ÖZBAL, Turkish Air Force Commander Gen. Hasan KÜÇÜKAKYÜZ and Deputy Minister of National Defense Muhsin DERE.
During the Rapid-Fire Test, two separate firings (each consisting of 9 consecutive firings) were conducted with the National Naval Gun, which has a stealth cupola with low radar cross-section (RCS) instead of a standard cupola (outer shell), contrary to the first fire test performed on November 10, 2021.
Speaking at the ceremony that was held for the Rapid-Fire Test, Commander of the Naval Forces Admiral Adnan ÖZBAL pointed out that the National Naval Gun Project started with the agreement signed with MKE on March 22, 2018, and added, “The realization of this project in such a short time is also a success story, evidencing the level reached by the Turkish Defense Industry.” Commander ÖZBAL shared the following information regarding the activities to be carried out in the upcoming period within the scope of the project. “Gun performance tests will be conducted, ballistic compatibility activities will be carried out, the gun will be integrated with ship gun-fire control systems, and then the gun will be validated with the ship-tests.” Commander ÖZBAL highlighted that the 76/62mm National Naval Gun also has a significant export potential.
In his speech, Minister of National Defense Hulusi AKAR wished the National Naval Gun to be beneficial for the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and congratulated those who contributed to the development and production of the new weapon system. Minister AKAR said, “All such activities are not the final phase for us. Each of these is the beginning of the next phase. We will meet the needs of our Armed Forces by carrying on our activities at an increasing pace. All Defense Industry employees and managers witnessed that we are capable, we can succeed, and we will! We will reach the level where we are capable of meeting our own needs with ease!” Minister AKAR, who participated in the live broadcast of NTV after the ceremony, said that Harbor Acceptance (HAT) and Sea Acceptance Tests (SATs) will be carried out with the National Naval Gun in coming days, and then it will be put into the service of the Naval Forces at the end of February 2022.
MKE’s Chairman and CEO Yasin AKDERE stated in an interview with Defence Turkey Magazine in November 2021 that the gun would be installed on a naval ship outfitted with the indigenous combat management system (CMS, GENESIS/ADVENT) in collaboration with the Turkish Naval Forces. So, we assume that within the scope of the National Naval Gun Project for the firing trials the 76/62mm National Naval Gun prototype would be installed and integrated on either a BURAK Class Corvette or a GABYA Class Frigate of the Turkish Naval Forces, both feature GENESIS/ADVENT CMS. Turkish Naval Forces (TNF) has upgraded the TCG Beykoz (F-503) Corvette, one of its six BURAK Class Corvettes in the fleet, in 2020. Within the scope of upgrade efforts carried out over 3 months at İzmir and İstanbul Naval Shipyards the 100mm 55 caliber CADAM standard naval gun was replaced with Leonardo’s 76/62mm Compact naval gun, the DRBC 32E Fire Control Radar was replaced with ASELSAN’s AKR-D and DRBV-3A Search Radar was replaced with ASELSAN’s MAR-D. The TCG Beykoz Corvette was also outfitted with the national network enabled CMS namely ‘GENESIS ADVENT’ with 3 multi-function operator consoles. Other BURAK Class Corvettes in the TNF fleet are also expected to receive a similar upgrade package in the coming months.
President Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN said the following in his video message for the ceremony: “With the National Naval Gun it has developed, Turkey has now become one of the few countries that is be able to produce this weapon system. The National Naval Gun has an effective range of 16 kilometers. Our navy has become more powerful thanks to this weapon, the firing rate of which is 80 rounds per minute with 5 different modes. The National Naval Gun is equipped with a digital fire control system developed domestically, unlike the systems currently used. With the introduction of this weapon system into the inventory, the Turkish Naval Forces’ mobility will be more effective. Besides, high costs and hidden embargoes encountered in foreign supply will be eliminated.”
After the video message of President ERDOĞAN, the rapid-fire test of the National Naval Gun was performed with the “Fire at Will” order given by Minister AKAR. After the successful firing, a commemorative photo was taken with Minister AKAR and the TAF Command Level. MKE Chairman and CEO Yasin AKDERE also presented the empty cartridge case of the first firing with the National Naval Gun to Minister AKAR
