National Solutions Serving National Requirements: KoçSavunma
Defence Turkey: The company was established in 2006 to develop technology and provide national and indigenous system solutions for the defense industry. Could you tell us about the current position Koç Bilgi ve Savunma Teknolojileri A.Ş. (KoçSavunma), the services it provides to its customers and share some insight into the company’s deep technology know-how and vision?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: KoçSavunma develops R&D based national and domestic products in the field of naval platforms electronic systems and especially underwater acoustic systems. The activities of KoçSavunma, which is one of the few enterprises offering services and products in the field of underwater acoustic systems in our country, established with one hundred percent domestic capital, are as follows.
Regarding underwater systems design, acoustic signal processing, underwater environment modelling, acoustic detection, diagnosis & classification, it offers innovative and competitive solutions in electronic system design, embedded software applications, data fusion, mechanical product design and modeling & simulation.
Reaching 75%+ local content rate in underwater electro-acoustic systems it creates awareness by reinforcing this peculiar contribution with its ship-system integration experience.
It has the capacity to develop derivative systems by combining the solutions it has developed in distinct ways.
Based on its ability to detect and monitor underwater moving systems through multiple smart acoustic systems it has developed to qualify with field tests, it has a special position in area coverage and data fusion in modular distributed architecture.
With such features, KoçSavunma participates as a solution partner with national and indigenous solutions in significant defense industry projects, especially in the projects of Turkish Armed Forces Foundation companies.
We have developed all our solutions by performing R&D studies. We have received considerable support from TÜBİTAK, both in establishing the infrastructures we need and in executing some projects, and we expanded in a balanced and planned way.
Accordingly, over the past 15 years, we have developed several indigenous solutions in the field of marine platforms and underwater warfare, used as a stand-alone system or as part of a larger system. We have established business relations with the Ministry of National Defense (MoND), Turkish Armed Forces (TAF), Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and with main integrators. KoçSavunma has become a well-known and well-accepted brand in the industry with its solutions. Additionally, during this period we have always developed our workforce.
Our activities are not only limited to product development. As part of on-site service for the products we have developed and through Life Cycle Management, we are able to provide maintenance and repair services not only during the warranty period, but also during the system’s service life.
We continuously exert efforts to be a part of a sustainable ecosystem. In order to be a part of this structure, we have ISO and CMMI Level 3 certifications and we have the EYDEP Class A certificate as well.
Defence Turkey: How do you position KoçSavunma within the National Defense Industry?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: KoçSavunma is in the position of a supplier and subsystem manufacturer that develops products for the main integrator/main platform manufacturers or main contractors, by carrying out product-oriented R&D projects. We assume a critical role by developing national and domestic products, especially for products with high foreign dependency, at the most important level of the supply chain pyramid. We think, besides our position in the pyramid, being a part of a sustainable ecosystem is more essential.
Defence Turkey: What can you say about KoçSavunma's performance in 2021 and its targets for 2022?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: In 2021, the painful legacy of the past year kept on. We had a tough year under the effects of the pandemic. Despite all, we are pleased to be successful in the achievement of our targets. For KoçSavunma, 2021 has been a year in which we achieved our goals of "Developing our product portfolio and getting into different markets within the framework of our technological achievements", which is part of our strategic roadmap. We optimized our Diver Detection Sonar, as the flagship product of our sonar family, in terms of performance and cost. In addition, within the scope of Sonoboy Signal Processing activities, which we started with the directives of our Naval Forces Commander, we rendered all Sonoboys in the inventory operational. We had the opportunity to test this product with the aircraft of our Navy and we successfully completed this process. We continue our intense work for the use of this product as a payload in UAVs and UUVs.
As KoçSavunma, we are one of the companies performing activities in the defense sector. On the other hand, we had a dream to make use of the knowhow and competence we have accumulated since 2006 in other sectors as well. This year in at the beginning of November we realized our dream. We launched the Smartium Blue, a product that will serve all stakeholders in the marine ecosystem, especially for the environment. Again, we had an important cooperation with Setur Marinas, of which you will hear the details soon.
In 2022, we will focus on reaching our goals by fulfilling our obligations, expanding our product portfolio with new projects and collaborations, and more importantly, doing business abroad.
Defence Turkey: Could you inform us about the technical features and performance of the 'Echorium' Diver Detection Sonar, which began development in 2008 with the support of TÜBİTAK TEYDEB - Technology and Innovation Grant Programs, and which performed underwater defense first at a strategic facility and then at a military facility, after sea tests? What type of interest is there in sonar in domestic and international markets? Do you expect additional orders in the near future?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: At the end of our journey, we set out for an R&D project, we reached the maturity for our Diver Detection Sonar. The two systems have been in service 24/7 at their deployment location for nearly two years as of the end of 2019. We are pleased to have such a system operating underwater for such a long time, to be able to maintain it, and to have this ability with a high local content rate. In the last two years, we have developed our product further with the lessons learned in the field. We have increased the detection range.
I would like to express that the feedback we receive after the product started to run contributes greatly to us in achieving a mature product. We compete primarily with ourselves in this area. We enjoy the pleasure of having a product that will compete worldwide in terms of price and performance. This year, we gave offers both domestically and abroad. We hope 2022 will be the year that these offers to turn into orders.
Defence Turkey: Could you discuss the major projects that you are currently working on in the 5 key activity fields that you have determined as Submarine Systems, Underwater Detection and Positioning Systems, Sonar Systems, Surface and Underwater Communication Systems and Software-Based Products?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: As you said, we classify our products under 5 categories.
Category 1 - Submarine Systems used on Submarines. These are the Torpedo Countermeasure System, the Breathing Air Monitoring System, the Sonar Beacon System and the Ship Integrated Information System in the New Type Submarine Program. The deliveries of these products were accomplished before their deadline, after successful completion of all tests.
Category 2 - Smart Floats. This product family includes the Smartium Blue Water Quality Measurement System, the Underwater Measurement and Positioning System, and the Offshore & Inshore Weapon Scoring System. The Smartium Blue system draws attention both at home and abroad as a product where the knowledge and competence we have in defense are applied to the other fields, especially for the environment. We have developed the Underwater Measurement and Positioning System for ROKETSAN. With our system, the qualifications of which have been successfully completed, we continue to serve in the mentioned project for the time being. The Offshore & Inshore Weapon Scoring System was developed and delivered to ASELSAN. Likewise, we continue to provide post-delivery services, that is, to take part in all field activities, from disposal to collection of systems.
Category 3 - Active and Passive Sonar Systems. This family includes the Wake Detector, the Diver Detection Sonar, the Underwater Detection & Classification System and the Acoustic Detection & Monitoring System.
Category 4 - Surface and Underwater Communication Systems. This family includes the Ship Integrated Information System, the Message Handling System, the Message and Document Distribution System, the Underwater Telephone and the Emergency Underwater Telephone.
Category 5 - Software-Based Products. This family includes Data Center Software for Naval Mine Warfare, Underwater Warfare Analysis Simulation and the SORTAM Underwater Acoustic Environment Model.
We are a small-sized company of 60 people, but as you can see, I referred to 19 products. They are neither fictional nor at the design stage, these are products that we have developed and that are currently used in the field.
Defence Turkey: As one of the leading companies in Turkey in the field of underwater acoustic systems in the defense industry, KoçSavunma is one of the strategic suppliers of the REIS Class Type 214TN Submarines with Air Independent Propulsion (HBT/AIP) System, which are currently under construction at the Gölcük Shipyard Command within the scope of the New Type Submarine Program (NTSP). Could you inform us about the subsystems you have provided for REIS Class Submarines under the NTSP, and the local content rate achieved?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: We first signed a contract with ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) in August 2011 for the Torpedo Countermeasure System (TCMS) of submarines.
As a result of the outstanding success and reliable subcontractor performance since the first years of the TCMS project, TKMS and KoçSavunma signed new contracts for five different projects: the Sonar Beacon Project in October 2014 under the coordination of STM, the Breathing Air Monitoring System Project in February 2015, the PC Network Project (Ship Integrated Information System (GEBİS) in February 2016 and the Modem Rack Project in December 2019. KoçSavunma completed these projects within the scope of NTSP before the scheduled deadlines and completed the related deliveries in June 2021.
We finalized these products with a local content rate of over 75%. We also keep focused on our efforts to improve this rate to go further.
KoçSavunma has gone through TCMS’s rigorous financial and technical audit processes is listed as one of the company's reliable suppliers worldwide.
We believe the New Type Submarine Program demonstrates an important transformation in the defense industry with the aim of using the products of many domestic companies on a submarine platform for the first time. With this project, new domain expertise and technological infrastructures that emerged thanks to the support of universities and competent subcontractors provide a strong basis for the Turkish defense industry.
Defence Turkey: You have submitted a proposal for the modernization of the Sonar Fish System, which will be used in sea acceptance tests within the scope of the NTSP. Could you brief our readers on the latest status?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: We signed the Sonar Fish contract, and we continue our activities at full steam. We will exert maximum effort to complete this time-critical project.
Defence Turkey: What do you want to say about the goals and strategies of KoçSavunma for the next 5 years?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: As KoçSavunma, our priority goals are as follows:
To gain new customers in the country apart from our customer portfolio in the defense market, through our technological achievements.
To achieve technological advances that will increase the competitiveness of our products and to start serial production. This was a critical goal for us, and we were excited to have signed the first serial production contract in 2021.
To get into new markets within the framework of our technological achievements.
To carry out activities for the marketing of our current product portfolio abroad.
It is our priority to develop products that will compete not only in the domestic market but also abroad in terms of price and performance. All these goals also involve the “Koç” brand we hold and our responsibility to fulfill our obligations to our country.
Defence Turkey: Is there anything you would like to add as a final message to our readers?
M. Hakan ÖKTEM: I would like to inform our readers that we have launched our new website (kocsavunma.com.tr/en)
I would like to express that we remain fully committed to our mission to develop our indigenous domestic and national products, which we have undertaken especially for the defense industry. Please stay tuned!
Defence Turkey: Mr. ÖKTEM, thank you for your time and we wish you continued success in your future endeavors
