PART 1 - Existing preparations
2017
A digitally created rendering of Milden shown during the workshop. The end product may have a much different shape. Interesting to note that it has X type rudders a shrouded propeller. The thin line prodding form the aft of the submarine is like to house a towed array sonar or a towed counter measure. There is a provision for flank array sonar. The sail is streamlined and houses the forward diving planes.
Turkish Naval Forces organised a national Submarine Workshop on 15. and 16. June at Tuzla Naval Shipyard.
This invitation only workshop was attended by marine engineers both military and civilian, representatives of defense companies and scholars.
The aim was to create a viable road map for the National Submarine, to identify competencies and competences of the national companies and potential short comings, risks in design and production phases.
Turkish Navy wants to commission its first indigenous submarine in 2030. Commander of Turkish Naval Forces Admrail Bostanoğlu stated in his opening speech that Turkish Navy was overhauling its submarines in Gölcük Naval Yard for the last 53 years. He also mentioned that Turkey constructed 11 submarines in 35 years and the building of Type 214 submarines was proceeding.
For me the most interesting part of the speech when Admiral Bostanoğlu mentioned that Turkish Navy developed its own engineering solution to 5 major design faults of Type 214 submarines.
These solutions were verified by TKMS and incorporated into the design of Turkish Type 214’s. Therefore the Turkish submarines will have slightly different dimensions compared to the one’s already serving in Greek, Portuguese and South Korean navies.
Admiral Bostanoğlu indicated the following objectives where local work and innovations is needed:
Integrated sonar and fire control system
High resolution optronics systems
Periscope
LPI navigation radar
ECM system capable of detecting LPI radars
Enhanced COMING and SIGINT capabilities
Accurate inertial navigation system
EHF and SHF satellite communication system
Link 16/22 ability
AIP
High powered batteries
Long range land attack capable cruise missiles
Locally developed torpedoes and mines
Torpedo and mine countermeasures.
Milden is the Turkish abbreviation of MİL-li DEN-izaltı meaning National Submarine in English. It will be quite a buzz word for the next decade like Milgem.
It is not a secret that Turkey aims to develop and built its own submarines and reduce its dependency to foreign suppliers in critical areas. This workshop indicates that the local know-how and production abilities reached a critical mark where a local development is considered feasible.
source :
https://turkishnavy.net/tag/milden/
2017
Two of the most important shipbuilding programmes of the Turkish Navy are the local construction of six TKMS Reis-class submarines (Type-214TN) and the indigenous development of a new class of submarine.
The latter is known as MiLDEN (Milli Denizaltı) and is an ambitious attempt of the Turkish defense industry not only to design and develop a new class of submarine, but to develop the suite of electronics, telecommunications, sensors, propulsion and weapon systems that will be integrated into the boat.
The MiLDEN development programme began in March 2012 under the auspices of ArMerKom, the Turkish Naval Research Center Command. The first phase of the programme, which lasted until 2015, included the feasibility study. The second phase – initiated in 2015 – will proceed until 2018 and includes the definition of the submarine’s technical and operational specifications.
During this period, the Turkish defense industry will develop the national integrated submarine management system, the national sonar, the national torpedo, and all related systems. In the following years (2017-2023), a Turkish company will try to develop a national Atmosphere Independent Power (AIP) system.
The third phase of MiLDEN includes a two-year initial design period (2023-2025), which will involve designing the hull and installation of the AIP system. This will be followed by a three-year detailed design period (2025-2028) to include the installation and integration of the systems mentioned earlier. The construction of the first submarine will start in 2028 and the goal is for it to be delivered to the Turkish Navy in 2033.
The Navy intends to incorporate as many Turkish defence companies into MiLDEN as possible.
Already many state and private owned defence contractors – as well as national research institutes – are working on the development and production of indigenous systems that will be installed in the six under-construction Reis-class (Type-214TN) submarines and will later be used for the construction of the MiLDEN submarines.
Aselsan will produce, install and integrate the
ARES-2N ESM system into the Reis-class, along with the
Alper LPI radar, an integrated communications system, an
X-band satellite communication system and a thermal imaging camera for the Carl Zeiss Optronics periscopes.
Milsoft will develop the software for the
Link-11/22 communication system, while Havelsan will integrate its
SEDA system (Sonar integration and Control system) and
TorAKS system (Torpedo fire control system, which is part of the SEDA system) with
ISUS-90/72 Combat Management System (CMS) made by German company Atlas Elektronik. The
consoles of the ISUS-90/72 CMS will be made by Turkey’s own Ayesas, and UK-based Ultra Electronics will work together with the Turkish company Koç Savuma Sistemleri to provide the
torpedo countermeasures Sea Crypsis system.
The state owned research institute
TUBITAK-MAM is set to develop the hydrophones,
the vessel’s battery control system and the life support system of the new submarine.
The propulsion system – a new generation AIP – will be developed by the Turkish company IdeaLab.
Turkish engineers are currently working on a compressed power generation system that uses
compressed carbon dioxide. This new system is smaller and lighter compared to the existing technology and
will allow the submarine to operate submerged for up to 90 days over a range of 15,000km.
Although this enterprising programme appears to be running smoothly at present, the biggest challenge for the Turkish defense industry will be the integration and effective performance of these many intricate systems.
https://www.defenceiq.com/naval-maritime-defence/articles/milden-turkeys-quest-to-build-a-national
