Another critical stage has been completed in the Turkish Navy New Type Submarine Project, launched by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) for the Turkish Naval Forces Command, one of the most active navies in the world.
The head section (Torpedo Section) housing the torpedo tubes, which is produced by only a limited number of countries, has been produced in Turkey with indigenous and national means for the first time, in Gürdesan Shipyard with engineering on 13 September 2021, transported by sea from the Gürdesan Shipyard in Yalova. The first Torpedo Section produced and delivered using national resources, will be integrated into TCG MURATREİS, the 3rd submarine of NTSP.
Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir, President of Defence Industries said: “We have successfully completed yet another stage in the Turkish Navy New Type Submarine Project (Reis Class Submarines - NTSP) and it is poised to become the most modern submarine platform of the Turkish Navy. We are proud to have realised the production of the Torpedo Section, the most critical submarine part housing the torpedo tubes, for the first time in our country. The localization of the Torpedo Section has been a significant gain in experience on the way to the National Submarine Project.”
Özgür Güleryüz, General Manager of STM, stated that they have achieved a historic success towards the production of the Reis Class Submarines, which will increase deterrence by Turkish Naval Forces within Blue Homeland.
“We have made the first delivery of the Torpedo Section, which we are still producing for Reis Class Submarines. In the project, we have succeeded in surpassing the targeted indigenousness rate. As part of NTSP, we have so far localised 33 systems. As STM, we have also contributed to the capacity development of domestic contractors by working with 19 local companies under the NTSP project. STM has once again demonstrated its continued successful ecosystem building regarding localisation on the way to national submarine production,” Güleryüz said.
“On this occasion, before congratulating all my teammates who have contributed, I’d like to take a moment to commemorate our former Marine Projects Director, the late Mazlum Savaş Onur, who pioneered the implementation of the project,” he added.
The production of the Torpedo Section for the 3rd ship, the first one to be delivered, began in 2018. Under the coordination of STM, Turkey's leading engineering company in the field of naval platforms, the nozzle holes of the said pressure hull were machined and the tube welds were made. Following the painting and assembly processes, the Torpedo Section expeditiously and successfully completed the acceptance tests with zero errors. The aim of STM and Gürdesan is to deliver the Torpedo Section of the 4th, 5th and 6th submarines in the project by March 2022.
The Torpedo Section is the most critical part of Reis class submarines, which are to be the most modern submarine platforms of the Turkish Navy, and contains the main weapons and systems of the submarine for the firing of guided munitions. The Torpedo Section enables Reis Class Submarines to be armed with eight 533mm torpedo tubes. Within the scope of the project, the delivery of six Reis Class Submarines will begin as of 2022. The section containing the torpedo tubes of the first two submarines was manufactured by the German ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), the project’s main contractor. The Torpedo Sections to be fitted to the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th submarines are being produced for the first time in Turkey at the Gürdesan Shipyard, with STM as the main subcontractor.
STM plays a significant role in the production of Reis Class Submarines, which are to increase the Turkish Naval Forces’ deterrence in the Blue Homeland. Having put its design competence and experience on the table for NTSP, STM is handling the entire coordination of the project within the scope of the Torpedo Section. The expert teams of STM are taking care of the construction plans, checking their assembly, getting them ready for delivery and keeping track of the delivery stages. Apart from the Torpedo Section, STM also carries out design, engineering and system integration activities in the NTSP. By contributing to the localization efforts targeting construction materials of the ship and the devices/systems, STM ensures the domestic production of submarine light hull blocks and various GRP (Composite Submarine Superstructure) units.
As the main sub-contractor of MiLGEM Ada Class Corvettes produced for the Turkish Navy, STM successfully carried out its role as the main contractor of Turkey's first national frigate, TCG İSTANBUL (F-515), which was launched this year, while also successfully continuing the Corvette Construction for the Ukrainian Navy. Having completed the modernization of Pakistan TYPE 209 AY Class Submarines, STM undertakes critical tasks in the Preveze Class Submarine Half-Life Modernization. STM also assigns its engineering capabilities in the field of naval platforms to friendly and allied countries, and has delivered the first submarine in the modernization of Pakistan Agosta class submarines, as it continues to work on the modernization of the two other ships.
Turkish Navy New Type Submarine Project
Within the scope of Naval Forces Command requirements, the aim is the construction of 6 Reis Class Submarines meeting the criteria of the Submarine Operations Concept, with the maximum participation of Turkish industry at Gölcük Shipyard Command. Equipped with the Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP), Reis Class submarines will have the capability to operate underwater for weeks at a time without rising to the surface. These submarines with low-noise navigation capabilities will be able to operate covertly for long periods. The submarines will be 68 meters in length, weigh over two thousand tons and have capacity for 40 personnel. The first submarine TCG PİRİREİS (S-330), built in Gölcük Shipyard as part of the project, was launched in March 2021.
The names of the Reis Class Submarines to be delivered to the Turkish Naval Forces Command are: TCG PİRİREİS, TCG HIZIR REİS, TCG MURAT REİS, TCG AYDIN REİS, TCG SEYDİ ALI REİS and TCG SELMAN REİS.
STM has been serving the Turkish defence sector for over a quarter of a century in areas that include engineering, technology and consultancy, working in fields that are critical for Turkey and its allies. It applies its advanced capabilities and technologies to a broad range of strategic fields, ranging from naval platforms to satellites, from tactical mini-UAV systems to cybersecurity, and from big data analytics to artificial intelligence applications.
