Indicating that 150 of the R&D projects realized by the University were in the area of defence industry, Prof. ?rem Dikmen added that the military naval projects were more unmanned underwater vehicles, acoustic counter measures and atmospheric life support systems. Prof. Dikmen stated that the U.S. had over 200 and Japan over 80 centers on naval systems and drew attention to the need for research centers and centers of excellence in Turkey in this area. In her remarks Dikmen pointed out that as METU they had TSK-MODS?MMER, B?LT?R and METU-MEMS centers of excellence and they would like to be the host for a military naval systems center of excellence. Mentioning the relationship between METU and the defence industry, Prof. Dikmen expressed her pleasure at the graduate program that commenced this year at METU with the support of the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries.

Speaking at the opening of the 4th Naval System Seminar, Undersecretary for Defence Industries Murad Bayar gave a general evaluation on the status of military naval projects. Presently there were five shipyards in Tuzla with projects worth over 5 billion USD and that out of around 10,000 workers in the shipyards region approximately half were employed in military ship projects, said Bayar and shared his sectoral strategy he previously disclosed at various conferences and seminars. Bayar emphasized that the number of shipyards in the industry at present were too many, that demand in the domestic market was not at the level that would expand the shipbuilding industry and that exports needed to be developed. Touching on the MILGEM Project, Bayar said that the local share of MILGEM had reached 65% and that over 200 sub-contractors and SMEs took part in the project.

After Murad Bayar, SSM Head of the Department of Naval Platforms Murat ?eker shared SSM’s strategic plan to be realized between 2012-2016 with the participants. According to the 2010 Annual Report, the number of projects being implemented by the SSM had reached 269 and that 24 of these projects were being implemented by the Department of Naval Platforms, explained ?eker and drew attention to the fact that out of the 25 billion USD in contract costs carried out by the SSM, 8 billion USD, or approximately one-third, was being implemented by the Department of Naval Platforms.

Captain Tim Davies of the UK Royal Navy and consultant to the UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) provided information on three important on-going military ship construction projects: the Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier, Type 45 Destroyer and the Type 26 Frigate. Stating that the British Ultra Electronics, BMT and Rolls Royce were presently collaborating with various corporations in Turkey, Davies emphasized that they would like to go even further ahead with the existing infrastructure.

Suat Alper, Program Director of ASELSAN, gave a presentation on Naval Electronic System Technologies in Turkey and gave information on the LPI Naval Radar, the SERDAR-ASELSAN Coastal Surveillance Radar with S Band Above Water/Air Search and the Multifunctional Phased Array Radar to the participants.

Dr. Serdar Müldür, Vice President of HAVELSAN Naval Combat Systems Group also gave a presentation at the Seminar. Providing information on the export projects that are on HAVELSAN’s agenda Müldür mentioned that discussions were underway with Indonesia, Malaysia, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Egypt, Poland and UAE involving the Corvette Modernization, the Maritime Patrol Aircraft, the Maritime Patrol and Maritime Surveillance Aircraft, Frigate Modernization and the Maritime Patrol Aircraft Ground Support Systems.

In the other sessions of the Seminar various companies gave presentations on Electronic Combat Systems and related Technologies in Naval Platforms; Maritime Communication Solutions; Developments in the Maritime Inertial Navigation Systems; Maritime Electro-Optical Systems and other topics.