Turkish Defense Industry Capabilities in Underwater Warfare Technology

Realizing almost ¼ of the turnover and 15% of the exports, the Defense Electronics sector is likely one of the strongest and fastest developing sectors of the Turkish Defense Industry. Thanks to the capabilities of domestic industry the TAF already has fielded advanced communications and information systems on par with the top technologies found in modern militaries. Among the top electronics technologies under development are land, air and naval-based command and control systems (combat management systems), network-enabled technologies and sensors. As with other modern militaries, Turkey views network-enabled command and control system capabilities as a significant force multiplier for all platforms and infrastructures in which it has invested over the last two decades. Indigenous tactical command and control systems in particular have been receiving substantial investment since the early 2000s.

Some successful designs such as GENESIS, GENESIS ADVENT and MUREN Combat Management Systems (CMSs) have been fielded during the last two decades. GENESIS and GENESIS ADVENT Combat Management Systems are designed for naval surface applications and MUREN CMS (based on GENESIS ADVENT) is designed for naval underwater applications. The 3,640-ton GABYA Class (ex-US FFG-7 Perry Class) Frigates of the Turkish Naval Forces (TNF) were modernized locally during May 2007 - August 2012 at Golcuk Naval Shipyard with the integration of the indigenously developed GENESIS (Ship Integrated Combat Management System) CMS, which has greatly enhanced their capabilities compared to the original design (with GENESIS GABYA Class that can track over 1,000 tactical surface and air targets simultaneously, while in the original configuration only 64 targets can be tracked simultaneously). Developed by the Turkish Navy Research Center Command (TNRC-C/ARMERKOM) and implemented by the Turkish company Havelsan, GENESIS is a fully integrated CMS suite that encompasses all ship functions, including navigation, communications, sensors, and weapons. Its open architecture allows greater interoperability and integration of upgrades to individual capabilities. It provides for modern sensor data fusion and automatic threat evaluation. GENESIS also permits integration of Link-16/22 tactical data links. The first two of four ADA Class Corvettes constructed under the MILGEM Project and commissioned during 27 September 2011 – 29 September 2019 were integrated with GENESIS while the last two platforms received the network-enabled version ‘GENESIS ADVENT’. With its integration capability with a wide variety of sensors and weapons, the ship-borne GENESIS ADVENT CMS is a powerful and scalable C4I System that provides planning, tactical picture compilation, decision making and weapons control to meet current and emergent threats. With approximately 550 applications having different tasks within the CMS and around 13 million lines of software code, ADVENT CMS is one of the most comprehensive combat systems in the world. The GENESIS Combat Management System on-board the GABYA Class Frigates, has 3 million lines of code, while the system on-board the TCG Bayraktar (L-402) LST ship has 3.9 million lines of code.

Turkish Defense Electronics Sector companies have also been active in the field of underwater warfare since the early 2010s. In this context, while TUBITAK BILGEM (Informatics and Information Security Research Center) providing the indigenously developed MUREN Integrated Underwater Combat Management System for the AY and PREVEZE Class Submarines in TNF service, Havelsan delivers both Integrated Underwater Combat Management System (based on ISUS-90/72 but Turkey unique solution. Configuration management of all source codes for the Integrated Underwater Combat Management System takes place under the leadership of Havelsan), which also contains SEDA Combat Management System software developed by Havelsan, and the Submarine Information Distribution System (utilizing real time embedded software technology the SMIDS/DBDS is integrated with 105 different units on-board the submarines) for the Type 214TN REIS Class Submarines. Aselsan on the other hand delivers seven different subsystems including the submarine sonar system, ESM, SatCom and radar systems within the scope of the PREVEZE-MLU Project and STM is carrying out the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) of Pakistan Navy’s Agosta 90B Class Submarines with the participation of other Turkish companies including Aselsan and Havelsan. In this article we will provide some details on MUREN-AY, MUREN-PREVEZE, PREVEZE-MLU Projects of the TNF and the Pakistan Navy’s Agosta 90B MLU Program led by Prime Contractor STM under a contract awarded in 2016.

MUREN-AY Project

Under the contracts signed on June 2, 2016, between TUBITAK BILGEM and the TNF, the indigenous MUREN Integrated Underwater Combat Management System, which was developed by TUBITAK BILGEM for the AY Class (Type 209/1200) Submarines in TNF service, was integrated and put to service on the TCG Doğanay (S-351) and TCG Dolunay (S-352) Submarines under a two and half-year schedule. Under the contract, one Ground Station System (Land Based Test System, with hardware and software identical to those installed on submarines) was also delivered and activities under the contract were completed during the first quarter of 2019.

Within the scope of the Project conducted under the cooperation of the TNRC-C/ARMERKOM, Golcuk Naval Shipyard and TUBITAK (an institution which has adopted a mission to conduct R&D studies in order to fulfil the existing and near future security and defense related requirements of the Defense Industry), modern heavy weight torpedo (HWT) discharging capability, sensor data such as sonar, periscope and electronic support and indigenous target motion analysis, track management and indigenous weapon control unit capabilities were added to two of the four AY Class Submarines in the TNF inventory. The GENESIS ADVENT based MUREN-AY CMS has been actively utilized on the TCG Doğanay (S-351) and the TCG Dolunay (S-352) Submarines since late 2018. According to the information I received, 8 HWTs were launched in 2018 as part of the test campaign. As Mk48 Mod 6AT and AKYA HWTs were not identified within the scope of this project, only DM2A4 SeeHecht modern HWT could be launched by the MUREN CMS.

With the MUREN CMS, not only modern HWT launching capability but also a critical capability called Target Motion Analysis - TMA bearing vital importance for the submarines, was acquired. Due to the lack of space in the submarines’ Combat Information Center (CIC) only two operator consoles, which could replace each other and feature a water-cooling system, have been installed in the modernized AY Class Submarines for the MUREN CMS. In case there is a breakdown in one of these consoles, the software could be transferred to the other. These consoles are manufactured by YALTES. In this Project, for the AY Class Submarines, YALTES designed and delivered a special console that needed to fit into a very limited area, and upon the success it achieved in the MUREN-AY Project, the company secured a quite large work share (covering five different units) in the MUREN-PREVEZE Project. The MUREN-AY CMS can manage 4 different HWTs engagements simultaneously. 

STM previously carried out the modernization of two AY Class Submarines in service of the TNF. Under a contract awarded on March 30, 2011, the system and equipment modernization of two AY Class (Type 209/1200) Diesel-Electric Submarines (TCG Doğanay [S-351] and TCG Dolunay [S-352]) in the service of the TNF were performed by Prime Contractor STM in cooperation with Golcuk Naval Shipyard. Modernization efforts, launched in November 2012 at Golcuk Naval Shipyard, covered replacement of the existing DR2000U ESM with ARES-2SC Radar ESM, surveillance (BS-19) and attack periscopes (ASC-18) with SERO-250S and SERO-250A periscope sets and the aging INS with Raytheon’s Inertial Navigation System. Following the completion of their modernization efforts, TCG Dolunay was re-delivered to the TNF on April 9, 2014, and TCG Doğanay on April 22, 2015. The periscope modernization of the AY Class Submarine is the first project that Hensoldt Optronics has had with STM.

Meanwhile under a US$1.78 million contract awarded in 2016, Aselsan developed a national intercept sonar within a 9-month schedule named ASIST (Aselsan Intercept Sonar System) for three of four AY Class Submarines and carried out acceptance tests in June 2017. Following the integration efforts, the Harbor Acceptance Tests (HAT) and Sea Acceptance Tests (SAT) of the first ASIST sonar on-board the TCG Batiray (S-349) submarine was completed in December 2017. Today, three of the four AY Class Submarines are operating with Aselsan’s ASIST intercept sonar. The Submarine Intercept Passive Sonar (IPS) manufactured by Meteksan Defence was installed to one of the four AY Class submarines in the TNF’s service. The Intercept Sonar System is located at the back part of the sail in AY Class Submarines, and in PREVEZE and GÜR Class Submarines it is located inside the hatch bulging out at the nose section.

MUREN CMS PREVEZE Class Implementation Project

Two separate modernization projects are currently carried out in parallel for TNF’s PREVEZE Class (Type 209/1400) Submarines: MUREN CMS PREVEZE Class Implementation Project and Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) Project. Launched first under a contract awarded on August 1, 2017, the MUREN CMS PREVEZE Class Implementation Project is being carried out in cooperation with the TNRC-C/ARMERKOM, Golcuk Naval Shipyard and TUBITAK BILGEM. The Sea Acceptance Tests (SAT) of the first submarine (TCG Preveze) equipped with MUREN CMS was supposed to be completed in June 2021, but this schedule was later extended by at least 6 months. According to current information TCG Preveze’s SAT will be completed by the end of 2021 or early 2022. According to contract, activities under the project should be completed in 72 months following the contract effectivity (To).

Within the scope of the MUREN CMS PREVEZE Class Implementation Project, the ISUS-83/2 Combat Management Systems (CMS) on-board the submarines will be replaced with GENESIS ADVENT based MUREN-PREVEZE CMS and 20 different sensors and navigation systems on board the submarines will be integrated with the MUREN-PREVEZE CMS. With the project, the PREVEZE Class Submarines will also gain the capability to use/deploy DM2A4 SeeHecht, Mk48 Mod 6AT/7AT and AKYA National Heavyweight Torpedoes. On March 8, 2021, a contract was signed between TUBITAK BILGEM and the Istanbul Naval Supply Group Command of the TNF for the integration of AKYA National HWT into MUREN-PREVEZE CMS. When it is completed and becomes operational, Roketsan’s ATMACA Block II anwti-ship cruise missile (ASCM) is also expected to be integrated on PREVEZE Class Submarines. Under the AKYA National Heavyweight Torpedo (HWT) Project, the first guided firing test (with an REXTORP Exercise Torpedo that does not carry a live warhead) against a mock target was successfully carried out on January 20, 2021, from a GUR Class (Type 209/1400 Mod) Submarine at the Submarine Training Field of the TNF located in the Gulf of Izmit in the Marmara Sea. The AKYA National HWT is planned to be inducted into TNF service in 2021.

The contract covers the deliveries of 1 Ground Station System (Land Based Test System, established at the MUREN Laboratory and which became operational in January 2021) and 4 Submarine Systems. Within the scope of the project, the MUREN Laboratory was officially opened within TNRC-C/ARMERKOM premises by the TUBITAK Informatics and Information Security Research Center (BILGEM) in early August 2020. The Laboratory also includes the Land Based Test System (with hardware and software identical to those to be installed on submarines) of the MUREN-PREVEZE Integrated Submarine Combat Management System. Within the scope of the MUREN-PREVEZE Project, all tests before the integration of systems into submarines are carried out in this Laboratory. As the subcontractor of TUBITAK BILGEM, YALTES develops and produces the operator consoles (with a dual cooling system. In the event of water-cooling failure in the submarine, the consoles would be able to cool with air and continue their duty), electronic cabinets, combat data/video networks, and Local Firing Panels for PREVEZE Class Submarines. The existing equipment in the CIC (Combat Information Center) of PREVEZE Class Submarines will be emptied completely, and the ISUS-83/2 CMS will be replaced with the MUREN CMS.  

On January 21, 2021, TUBITAK President Prof. Dr. Hasan MANDAL confirmed that the MUREN-PREVEZE CMS had become operational. MANDAL said, “We received great news today. The MUREN-PREVEZE CMS is starting to be used by the Turkish Naval Forces Command. In other words, it passed through the testing phase and is starting to be used in a real environment.” MUREN-PREVEZE had become operational first at the MUREN Laboratory rather than on the TCG Preveze Submarine. In January 2021 acceptance tests of the MUREN-PREVEZE CMS in the Land Based Test System (a kind of System Integration Laboratory established in the MUREN Laboratory) was completed successfully and the system became operational.

MLU of PREVEZE Class Diesel-Electric Submarines 

On February 8, 2019, the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and a joint venture formed by STM-Aselsan-Havelsan-ASFAT (also including KBST as a subcontractor) signed a contract on the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) of PREVEZE Class (Type 209/1400) Diesel-Electric Submarines that was commissioned between 1984-1999. According to the contract, which became effective on July 17, 2019, following the completion of their MLU modernization efforts, PREVEZE Class Submarines were supposed to be re-delivered to the TNF during 2023-2027. But this scheduled was revised. According to Alper KOSE, Head of the SSB Naval Platforms Department, under the PREVEZE MLU Project the first modernized submarine will be delivered in 2024, the second one in 2025, the third in 2027 and the last in 2028.

Within the scope of the comprehensive Mid-Life Upgrade the PREVEZE Class Submarines (S-353 Preveze, S-354 Sakarya, S-355 18 Mart and S-356 Anafartalar) will be equipped with new generation Sonar, Surveillance and Attack Periscopes, Satellite Communication (SatCom) System, Integrated Communication System, Electronic Support System (ESM), Marine Radar, WAIS System and Harpoon AShM Fire Control System. According to the Project schedule, TCG Sakarya – the first submarine, will be delivered in 2024 after the SAT (Sea Acceptance Tests). Then, the modernization of the three remaining submarines will be completed by the end of 2028. TCG Preveze is the first submarine being upgraded with the MUREN-PREVEZE CMS and TCG Sakarya will be the first submarine to receive both MLU and MUREN-PREVEZE CMS upgrades at the same time. TCG Preveze, the first submarine fitted with MUREN-PREVEZE CMS, will be the last submarine to receive MLU. The activities regarding the Preliminary Design Phase of the PREVEZE Class Submarine MLU Project were completed in 2020. 

The acoustic detection sensors and low-noise front-end electronic units of the Intercept Passive Sonar and the Intercept Data Ranging Sonar that will be used aboard PREVEZE and GÜR Class Submarines are being designed and produced indigenously by Meteksan Defence. Meteksan Defence’s MSH-01 hydrophones and their equivalents are retained as spare parts for the AY and PREVEZE Class Submarines’ Cylindrical Hydrophone Arrays, Passive Ranging Sonars and Own Noise Measuring Systems.

Under the MUREN CMS PREVEZE Class Implementation Project, on 31 July 2018 a contract entitled “Sonar Subsystem Procurement for Integration into the MUREN CMS aboard PREVEZE Class Submarines” was signed between TUBITAK BILGEM and Meteksan Defence for the local development and manufacture of electronic and signal processing hardware and software of the sonar and underwater acoustic systems, which constitutes the important part of MUREN CMS to be integrated on PREVEZE Class Submarines. The MUREN Submarine CMS for the GÜR Class Submarines will be designed and will be integrated on the platforms under a separate contract during the second half of the 2020s. In addition, Meteksan Defence has also indigenously developed the sensor elements of the Flank Array Sonars of the existing submarines (PREVEZE and GUR Class), and these sensors have reached the Sea Acceptance Test (SAT) phase. According to Meteksan Defence, the 1st Stage FATs were conducted in March 2020. Once the qualification phase has been completed, they will become available for use as spare parts.

Within the scope of the PREVEZE Class Submarine Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) Program, acoustic sensors, which are the basic and most important sensor group of a submarine, will be replaced with more modern, more effective, and indigenous sensors. In this context, by changing wet-end units of the Cylindrical Hydrophone Array, Passive Ranging Sonar, Flank Array Sonar (FAS), Intercept Sonar, Active Sonar and Own Noise Measurement Systems, the acoustic capabilities of PREVEZE Class submarines will be improved. The Acoustic Sensors of PREVEZE Class Submarines will be provided by Aselsan and Meteksan Defence. Aselsan will provide seven different subsystems under the PREVEZE MLU Project; Sonar (all wet end parts of the submarine sonar system), SatCom (indigenous design and will have 60cm antenna), Integrated Communication System (for both internal and external communications), ESM (Aselsan ARES-2SC), Radar System, WAIS System and Harpoon Fire Control System (to be integrated with the MUREN-PREVEZE CMS).

On August 5, 2019, HENSOLDT Optronics GmbH announced that it had received contract valued at around €40 Million from Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik (STM) under the PREVEZE Class Submarine MLU Project to upgrade existing search and attack periscopes on-board four PREVEZE Class Submarines. Under this contract, HENSOLDT Optronics will provide a total of four SERO 420 Attack Periscopes and four SERO 430 Search Periscopes to replace L3 KEO (formerly known as Kollmorgen)’s Model 76 Search and Attack Periscopes ordered in 1987 and integrated on the submarines during early 1990s. The MLU is designed to extend the operational life of the PREVEZE Class Submarines until the 2040s, when they are planned to be replaced by MILDENs (National Submarines).

Meanwhile, the steal cutting and first welding ceremony for the 3,000 Ton Submarine Floating Dock was held on August 18, 2020, at Hicri Ercili Shipyard in Yalova. The Submarine Floating Dock, with a lifting capacity of 3,000 tons, will have an overall length of 105m, width of 25.10m and draught of 15.9m. Being constructed with steel under a contract awarded by ASFAT to Yütek Gemi İnşa in 2020, the new 3,000 Ton Submarine Floating Dock will be utilized both in the PREVEZE MLU and MILDEN Projects. According to the project schedule the 3,000 Ton Submarine Floating Dock will be delivered to ASFAT in 18 months following the contract effectivity (To+18 months).

Pakistan Navy Agosta 90B Khalid Class Submarines MLU Program

On June 22, 2016, STM signed a contract with the Pakistani Ministry of Defence Production, surpassing French Shipyard DCNS (now Naval Group), the submarine manufacturer, in an international tender opened for the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) of Khalid Class Submarines ‘Agosta 90B’. The original contract covered only one submarine and includes an option for the MLU of the other two. Since then, three contract amendments were signed in June 2017, February 27, 2018, and March 2019 respectively for the provision of an additional two submarines and important subsystems from Turkish companies. The total value of the Program is estimated at US$350 Million.

The MLU of the first submarine, PNS/M HAMZA (S-139), was started in 2018 and it was launched (transferred from floating dock to the sea) in December 2019, following the completion of its outfitting. The Prime Contractor STM aimed to deliver the first submarine of the project to the Pakistan Navy by the end of December 2020, after the completion of Harbor Acceptance Tests (HAT) and the Sea Trials (Sea Acceptance Tests/SATs, including diving tests) that started in March 2020 in the Arabian Sea. The PNS/M KHALID, the second submarine being upgraded under the MLU Program, is planned to be delivered in December 2021. According to STM, the Agosta 90B MLU Program is progressing very successfully despite the restrictions imposed by France, the producer of the submarines. Regarding this issue, on February 25, 2020, the then General Manager of STM Murat IKINCI, said “Despite their restrictions, with the support of our national industry, we successfully continue the construction and modernization work by replacing many products with Turkish made products.” 

The scope of the modernization consists of the replacement of the Fire Control System, Sonar Suite, Electronic Support Measures (ESM) System, Radar and Periscope System (Under a contract awarded by STM in October 2016 Hensoldt is supplying OMS 200 Optronics Masts [Attack Periscope] and SERO 430 Search Periscopes) Navigation and Attack). As the Prime Contractor, STM provides integration design, preparation of relevant documents, integration activities, tests, and experiences as well as Integrated Logistics Support services. The project is being realized in Pakistan and all workmanship is provided by PN Dockyard. In this context STM will provide the Integrated Underwater Command Control System and Sonar Suite as well as Sonar Subsystems that work in integration with it, the Submarine Information Distribution System, Torpedo Fire Control System, Attack and Navigation Periscopes, ESM System, Navigation Radar, Static Converters, Steering Control System, Ship Self-Noise Measurement System, Submarine Rescue Buoy and Digital Bridge Information Console with 45 bar strength, and in addition to these systems the company also provides the Auxiliary Cooling Water System to cool the ESKKS, Torpedo Counter Measure System and Electronic Map Display and Information System. The Integrated Underwater Command Control Systems (which also contains Sonars, Torpedo Fire Control System, SEDA Combat Management System and Submarine Information Distribution System) are supplied by Havelsan (the company has already completed deliveries), the ESM (ARES-2SC/P, the antennas for the ESM and RWR/GPS are mounted on separate periscopes, the RWR/GPS Antenna and Signal Distribution Unit [SDU], for example are mounted on Hensoldt’s OMS-200 Optronic Mast), the Torpedo Counter Measure System (ZARGANA TCMS, along with ZOKA Anti-Torpedo Acoustic Decoy Family comprising both stationary and self-propelled jammers and target emulator decoys) and the Navigation Radar System are supplied by Aselsan and the Auxiliary Cooling Water System by Bronswerk, Turkey. STM provides the Submarine Rescue Buoy, 45 bar resistant Digital Bridge Information Console, Electronic Map Display and Information System in addition to all materials for all structural/technical design, analysis, documentation and installation. We can express with pride that, in addition to Aselsan and Havelsan, there are also dozens of Turkish Defense Industry companies involved in this ecosystem considering the cables for installation, pipes, valves, flanges, panels, consumables, etc. 

The Agosta 90B submarines are 76 meters long and weigh around 2,050 tons. They have range of 10,000 nautical miles and can remain at sea continuously for 60 days. They are equipped with SUBTICS (Submarine Tactical Integrated Combat System) CMS and are capable of firing SM-39 Exocet missile and DM2A4 heavy weight torpedoes.

STM is also involved in the Pakistani Navy’s Miniature Submarine Program. The first project prepared by STM in line with the needs of the Pakistan Naval Forces was submitted in 2017. Within this framework, efforts on the design of small-sized submarines capable of addressing a wider market are continuing within the scheduled plan