NAVAL PROJECTS

The design work for the MilGem Project was started in 2004 for the in-country design and construction of anti- Submarine warfare and offshore patrol vessels. Design and configuration management of the project is under the responsibility of Turkish Navy. The Project aims the maximum and efficient use of local capabilities. Operational capabilities of the ship are focused on antisubmarine, surface and anti-air warfare, surveillance and defense against asymmetric threats. In September 2008, the first ship of the project, HEYBEL?ADA (F-511), was launched and the second of the class, BÜYÜKADA (F-512) was laid down. Currently, out-fitting, integration, personnel training and system test activities are progressing as scheduled. HEYBEL?ADA (F-511) is planned to be delivered in 2011, BÜYÜKADA (F-512) in 2013. It is the first time in Turkey that the design, system integration and analysis work, including the integration of the indigenously developed combat management system (GENES?S), for a warship of corvette size is conducted domestically. Currently, the local content for the first ship of the MILGEM Project is around % 64. The goal is to increase this percentage level for the second of the class, BÜYÜKADA (F-512).
MILGEM corvette is a displacement type mono-hull vessel designed to meet specific requirements of the Turkish Navy regarding to speed, sea-keeping and stability. The hull form was developed by the Turkish Navy and optimized by ?stanbul Technical University. Turkish Lloyd’s and national/international naval structure and survivability standards are applied for structural design of the hull.

Design of auxiliary power system is based on high reliability and survivability. The ship is equipped with 4 diesel-generators with 600kW output power each. MILGEM is equipped with a sophisticated Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) to maintain continuous and reliable operation, reduce reaction time and simplify ship management. Extensive studies were conducted and all necessary precautions are taken to reduce the signatures of the ship; including magnetic, acoustic, radar and IR.


The New Type Patrol Boat

Through the boats that will be established according to the Acquisition of 16 units New Type Patrol Boat Project with a cost of 402 million Euros signed in 2007 between Undersecretariat for Defence Industry and Dearsan. The reconnaissance, surveillance, patrol and anti-submarine warfare requirements of Turkish Naval Forces Command will be met and the defence of base and harbors will be supported. The boats are certified by the Turkish Lloyd in terms of machinery, power design, production, construction and installation/fitting. The construction of these boats successfully is enabling Dearsan to take an important place in military shipbuilding industry.

Considering the purpose of improving in-country capability to design, build and integration of warships, The New Type Patrol Boat Project is deemed as one of the most important milestones by Turkish Navy.

The first of the 16 New Type Patrol Boat was launched. AB-200 is to be commissioned in December 2010. Outfitting activities of second, third and forth ships are still going on. The hull constructions of fifth and sixth ships are in progress.

These boats have been realized completely through domestic design. It is targeted to achieve 70 % of local content within this project. Havelsan, Aselsan, Roketsan and TUBITAK designed and produced systems within the New Type Patrol Boat Project. Within the scope of this project Havelsan performs design, supply/production, integration and test activities of the warfare systems of the boats as a turn-key project and Aselsan provides Electro-optic Director, Gyro, Artillery Fire Control System, Stabilized Machine Gun Platform and Communication System.

The patrol boat carries the feature of being the first combat boat built by the private sector and is 56.90 m in length, 8.90 m in width and with a complete load is 395 tons in weight. It carries 32 personnel with a 44 mm double barrel gun and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns and will be used by the Naval Forces Command.


The New Type Submarine Project

The project covers the construction of 6 New Type Submarines with air independent propulsion system. The submarines will be constructed at Gölcük Naval Shipyard with the participation of local industry and through the material packages to be supplied from the contractor. Aselsan, Havelsan, Milsoft, STM A.?., Koç Bilgi ve Savunma, TÜB?TAK, Meteksan Savunma and IDS will took place in this Project as local contractors.

Request For Proposal was released on December 28, 2006 and revised on July 12, 2007. DCNS (France), HDW/MFI Business Partnership (Germany) and NAVANTIA S.A. (Spain) submitted their proposals as of November 12, 2007. The evaluation of the proposals was finalized and on July 22, 2008, Defence Industry Executive Committe has decided to initiate the contract negotiations first with HDW-MFI Business Partnership. The contract was signed as of July 2, 2009.

The value of the contract is estimated as 2,5 billion €. The submarines will be built in Gölcük Naval Shipyard where 11 submarines of Type 209, were previously built. The first new air-independent but non-nuclear submarine is expected to be delivered in 2015. It will surely replace the first 4 and oldest At?lay class submarines, which will be on average 39 years old.

This will be the first time that Turkey includes AIP submarines in its inventory. Turkish industrial participation in the project will be worth around 81 percent of the total value of the deal. For the first time Turkey will receive 81 percent of the offset pledge in a Navy Project
HDW will preassemble structural and mechanical parts of the submarine in Germany, or classified elements such as the fuel cells and propulsion system. All electronic and weapon systems, including sensors, communications, and data processing systems, will be of Turkish design and production, Around 20 indigenous systems and sub-systems covering Electronic Support System, X-Band Satcom Satellite Terminal, Link11/22 data transfer software, Ship Data Distribution System, Consoles, Torpedo Countermeasure System and Underwater Telephony System will be produced by local Turkish industry and integrated into the submarines.

TF2000

For the TF-2000 Project, which consists the acquisition of 4 Anti-Air Warfare Frigates that will provide survivability in the presence of aerial threat and also provide support to mission functions such as command control and communication, reconnaissance, early warning, surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare and electronic warfare, the studies to determine the project model is on-going. With the realization of the project, it is intended to improve the Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) capabilities of the Turkish Navy.

At the moment, preliminary studies are conducted and configuration of the platform is being evaluated. This indigenous project necessitates high-level engineering and technology applications and also a long term realization period with novel project management processes. Meanwhile, in-country development of the main sensor, multi-function Phased Array Radar is targeted to be achieved with the aim of maximum local content contribution, in close cooperation with universities, defense industry and national research institutions.

With a similar project management approach implemented in M?LGEM, the entire realization period of the TF-2000 Project also purposes to nurture the in-country technology and engineering applications as well as the nationalization of the critical systems for the national defence industry. The outcome will surely endow high technology platforms conforming to Turkish Navy’s operational needs.


Coast Guard Search and Rescue Ships

In scope of the Coast Guard Search and Rescue Vessel Project, that consist the acquisition of 4 Search and Rescue Vessels by RMK Marine - a private Turkish shipyard, the contract with RMK Marine became effective on June 30, 2008 and the construction of the first Vessel has been started on March 3, 2009. Then the ship “TCSG Dost” was successfully launched on 9 July 2010. Currently construction and outfitting activities for the first three ships are in progress.
After TCSG Dost, the ‘Güven,’ ‘Umut’ and ‘Ya?am’ ships will be provided to the service of the Coast Guard Command within the project’s coverage. The first vessel is due for delivery in 2011 while the others are planned for delivery in 2012.

The Coast Guard Search & Rescue Vessels are to be equipped with advanced weapons and electronic systems, and the design and production of the command control system software, electro-optical director, communication systems, and gyro and operator consoles will all be carried out in Turkey. The ships, in addition to S&R tasks will also be utilized in fire fighting, environmental pollution protection and smuggling prevention operations.

The ships to be built under the project are actually at Corvette size and tonnage. The ships are to be 88 meters long, at 1,700 deadweight tons and with a cruising speed at 22 knots. With an average of 92 personnel, operations up to sea state 6 and helicopter operations can be performed up to sea state 5 by the ships.

Another important point for RMK Marine is to utilize the maximum domestic contribution where possible and that in particular with the selection of domestic sub-contractors that participate in the Milgem Project they have worked on raising the domestic rate and those in future military projects this will be their basic principle.


Other Projects
Turkish Navy has formed her force structure in order to accomplish assigned tasks in current defense conjuncture which is a result of political and military developments. In order to sustain this force structure, Turkish Navy has the following planned/ongoing modernization projects added to the aforementioned ones;

The fleet air arm, i.e. the Naval Aviation Group will be more capable to perform given tasks with the completion of ambitious aircraft procurement programmes. In MELTEM project, sixteen aircraft will be integrated with the systems to convert them into maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft. Meanwhile in order to reach Turkish Navy’s force structure goals, a contract was signed for the procurement of seventeen S-70B SEAHAWK helicopters and retrofitting of seven existing helicopters. These new helicopters will replace the current AB-212s in the inventory.

Events over the last decade have demonstrated the need for forces that are mobile and versatile, able to react quickly and capable of operating in crisis, disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations. The continued need to deploy forces at long distances has led the Turkish Navy to consider the acquisition of Landing Platform Dock (LPD) and Landing Ship Tank (LST) type amphibious ships combining the features of a good aviation capability, protected berthing and a large internal volume for the transport of personnel and material. The LPD project will also include the procurement of Landing Craft Mechanics (LCM), Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV), Landing Craft Personnel Vehicles (LCVP). The new generation LST will be fast amphibious vessel of upper-intermediate size with significant armaments.

In order to have a quick reaction capability for amphibious warfare, Landing Craft Air Cushions (LCAC) are planned to be procured, which will embark on LPD. Besides, fast amphibious ships (Landing Craft Tank-LCT) construction continues by local shipyard and the project activities carry on according to the roadmap of the contract. The new generation LCT will be a fast-beaching craft of intermediate size which will play a major role in transporting vehicles and troops.

Another crucial mission requirement is the survivability; a new tender process has been started to procure a Submarine Deep Rescue Ship (MOSHIP) designed to perform subsea and surface rescue missions in heavy seas. Installed with deep rescue equipment/systems, the MOSHIP’s main roles will be to provide life support to the crews of damaged submarines, to accomplish submarine rescue operations in a maximum of 72 hours, to handle rescue and salvage operations for surface ships and to provide underwater repair works and wreck removal. The MOSHIP will carry national, NATO and other partner submarine rescue vehicles to the scene of a submarine accident. The overall aim of the project is to provide an effective and available national based submarine rescue capability with minimum life cycle cost and interoperable with NATO assets.
Along with MOSHIP tender process, two salvage ships will be acquired to perform surface ship salvage, towing, support for submarine rescue operation and target ship in exercises. It is planned that the contract for both projects be signed in 2010.

In support of deployed national and multinational task forces, Turkish Navy also has a Auxiliary Oil Replenishment Ship project, that the tender is expected to be made in coming years
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