Turkish Navy: A Staunch Contributor to Regional Security

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Turkish Navy: A Staunch Contributor to Regional Security (Part 1)​

Interview with the Commander of the Turkish Navy, Adm. Esref Ugur Yigit

08:46 GMT, December 14, 2010 In light of Turkey’s growing security-political role in the region and in NATO, Defence Turkey (DT), a media-partner of defpro.com, has recently asked the Commander of the Turkish Navy, Adm. Esref Ugur Yigit, to give his views and insights on the activities of the Turkish Navy, its current and future tasks, major development and procurement programmes, as well as its co-operation with industry.




DT: The Turkish Naval Forces are successfully executing the Black Sea Naval Cooperation Task Group (BLACKSEAFOR) operations and the Mediterranean Shield Operation. In addition, the Turkish Maritime Task Group has been activated. Could you please portray the objectives of the Turkish Maritime Task Group?

Admiral Esref Ugur Yigit: The basic principle expressing the national security policy of Turkey is defined by Atatürk's succinct precept, "Peace at Home, Peace in the World". Starting from this basic belief, Turkey is developing her relations with all countries based upon a foundation of friendship and cooperation by taking the preservation of its national unity and the rights arising from international agreements as the fundamental principle. The Turkish Maritime Task Group set sail to reflect this perception.

NATO membership has been the cornerstone of Turkey's defence and security policy for more than fifty years. Cooperation carried out in the security and defence fields within the framework of NATO has been continued with success until the present and has been based on the principle of sharing the burdens and benefits.

In this respect, the aim of the Task Group, which also contributes to Turkey’s role in NATO, is:

• To sustain the Turkish Navy’s capacity to operate with allies and NATO partners, to enhance cooperation and interoperability and demonstrate the Turkish Navy’s commitment to Maritime Situational Awareness, maritime peace and stability in the Mediterranean, as well as in the global maritime domain, while supporting ongoing NATO and UN operations worldwide,
• To establish and maintain security in the maritime domain, which is an important and indispensable dimension of international security,
• To conduct exercises and trainings, as well as port visits in the Mediterranean and in the other areas of interest, in order to enhance cooperation among allied/friendly nations.


DT: Could you please provide us with the areas of activities and capabilities of the Turkish Navy Research Center Command (ARMERKOM), which has a broad technological infrastructure and which continues its activities attached to the Naval Forces Command’s operational requirements?

Adm. Yigit: The progress in software technologies during the 1980s and 1990’s reduced the need for particular hardware systems that were more vital until then, and it became easier to develop combat system technologies with the use of COTS products. Along with progress in this field, the control, maintenance and upgrade requirements of the system’s software has dramatically increased and it has become essential to develop the mission critical software which has a detrimental effect on national security and platform endurance, utilising in-country capabilities.

Being aware of this, the Turkish Navy established its first core R&D organisation in 1998 consisting of four functional groups, namely Software Development, Electronics Development, Acoustics Research and Electronic Warfare. Today we, as the Turkish Navy, have a broader perspective to follow developments and improvements in defence system technologies. We believe that the key point for today’s defence systems is based on “knowledge”. Close monitoring of technological developments is deemed essential for a growing, modern navy, particularly in mission critical systems.

The Turkish Navy Research Center Command (TNRCC) has a field of expertise in Systems Engineering, Software Engineering, Systems Integration, Electronic Engineering, Acoustic Engineering, Modeling & Simulation and Mathematics.

With the experience gained throughout the years by TNRCC, the Navy’s future needs and expectations are to be carefully examined and analysed in a broad range of technical vision.

The Turkish Navy’s approach to keep its R&D capability in-house has already been a success in many projects and promising for the future; not only for itself, but also for the domestic companies in the naval defence area.


DT: The Gölcük and Istanbul shipyards, within the structure of the Naval Forces Command, play a significant role with its technology and infrastructure capabilities in important projects. Within this context, what would you like to say about the activities of these shipyards?

Adm. Yigit: Naval shipyards are in charge of repair and maintenance of surface ships and submarines in the Turkish Navy’s inventory and also design and build new platforms.

Therefore, we are improving their capabilities and infrastructure by taking into account the types of platforms they repair, maintain and build.

Having this approach in mind, we have improved the capabilities of the Istanbul Naval Shipyard for the construction of surface combatants by installing additional manufacturing plants after taking over the shipyard from a civilian maritime organisation.

Similarly, we have also installed plants for submarine construction activities in the Gölcük Naval Shipyard, which differs from other naval shipyards.

Resulting from these efforts, the naval shipyards have become facilities that are capable of producing at world-renowned high quality standards, operating productively and cost effectively, monitoring closely the improvements in their global business area and applying those in their fields of expertise.

While planning their manufacturing activities, we attach utmost care to operate the naval shipyards at their full capacity and to have our investment return in a way that the maximum benefit is achieved for our national economy.

In this regard, we aim not only to restrict the activities of the naval shipyards to repairs, overhaul and maintenance of naval vessels, but also use them as prime construction facilities along with their civilian counterparts within the Turkish Navy’s modernisation programme.


DT: How do you describe the Turkish Navy’s position in developing the domestic naval industrial capability for being able to design, build and integrate naval vessels in the private sector? Is there a roadmap in order to transfer the respective experience and capabilities of Naval Shipyards to private shipyards while ensuring to maintain your readiness and operational requirements during this phase and after?

Adm. Yigit: Along with the heavy load of maintenance and repair activities, more than 700 various types of platforms are designed and constructed by Naval Shipyards.

Until the 1960's, the Turkish Navy was sending its ships overseas for overhauling purposes. In the early 1970's, the navy reached a level that allowed it to construct its own combat ships through importing the ship design and construction material. Beginning in the 1970's, the evolution of the Turkish Navy in the naval shipbuilding, weapons and combat system integration field continued with increasing experience and know-how through warship construction projects that were realised together with foreign builders. Today, the Turkish Navy has reached a position that allows it to design and construct its own warships with a maximum national content, combining the experience and know-how available from the Turkish Private Contractors and Academic Organisations with the experience accumulated in Naval Shipyards.

What brings our shipyards to this technological level in the naval shipbuilding and repair field is the training and the technology transfer acquired during various shipbuilding projects, and the professional development policies that convey the accumulation of experience and knowledge to the new generations. Naval ship design and construction activities differ from commercial shipbuilding with their long-term design, construction and validation processes. Additionally, these activities require human resources training and experience in quite different engineering fields, technological infrastructure and a proactive project management approach. The Turkish Navy has been able to mount these capabilities through the realisation of shipbuilding projects over a 50-year period since the 1960’s.

It is the very first time in Turkey, as the HEYBELIADA (F-511), the lead ship of the MILGEM Project, for the design, system integration and analysis work for a warship of corvette size to be assembled domestically at this level. The experience and know-how gathered throughout the years has set the necessary background and infrastructure for the MILGEM Project, which, in this respect, is considered a major step or a milestone in this field. This project has also demonstrated itself as a model that enables the maximisation of local content and the development of in-country technology.

The Turkish Navy believes in the necessity to combine her unique naval ship design and construction capabilities with local know-how, experience and infrastructure scattered throughout the country. With the aim of developing and maturing an in-country capability for design and construction of major warships, many local companies, universities and scientific institutions are guided towards the development of domestic naval ship design and construction capabilities.

During this period, the Turkish Navy, with its current infrastructure and experienced personnel, is also focusing herself on the advanced technology submarine building activity. Priority is also given to the design and construction of the prototypes of high technology major surface combatants. It is deemed necessary to develop this capability throughout the country by transferring the serial production of these major surface units to local shipyards.

In this respect, during this stage it is very important to commission the following ships of the project on time as planned at a reasonable cost. Therefore, the Turkish Naval Forces Command believes that a project model that foresees a smooth and cooperative transition of responsibilities is the most convenient approach. In coordination with Undersecretariat for Defence Industries, a similar approach is being considered for the 3-8th ship of the MILGEM Project.


DT: The SSM, within the operational requirements of the Naval Forces Command, opened a tender process in 2007 for a Landing Platform Dock (LPD) which would possess sufficient deployment of landing crafts and health services. Could you give us your assessment relating to the LPD project?

Adm. Yigit: Request for Proposal (RFP) for the LPD Project, which is intended to be operational in 2016, was issued by the Undersecretariat for Defence (SSM) in February 2010. With this project, Turkish Naval Forces will have a platform with necessary capabilities for hosting a NATO HRF(M) (High Readiness Force-Maritime) Headquarters and will improve her amphibious capabilities as well as play an important role in peace keeping operations, in addition to disaster relief, evacuation and humanitarian assistance activities.


DT: Based on the operational requirements of the Naval Forces, the procurement of the TF-2000 Frigate Project as a priority air defence warfare function still continues. The SSM issued an RFI and, to this end, work on forming a project model, feasibility studies and observation cruises are rapidly continuing. Can we obtain your assessment on the last point reached on this Project?

Adm. Yigit: With the realisation 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 realisation 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, the defence industry and national research institutions.

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


DT: May we obtain your view on the last phase reached on the MILGEM Project, which started with the objective of executing reconnaissance and observation, patrol, search and rescue, submarine defence warfare as well as basic warfare duties, and which foresees the design and building of this project through national capabilities?

Adm. Yigit: 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 (GENESIS) for a warship of corvette size occurs 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).

As you know, the first ship of the project, HEYBELIADA (F-511), was launched in September 2008. Currently, outfitting, integration, personnel training and system test activities are progressing as scheduled.

The construction work of BÜYÜKADA (F-512), the second of the class, is underway. HEYBELIADA (F-511) is scheduled to be delivered in 2011, BÜYÜKADA (F-512) in 2013.

( to be contd)

 

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DT: The fifth Ship Integrated Combat Management System (GENESIS) Project in which the design was realised by the Turkish Naval Forces Research Center Command, and transferred the knowledge to national industry for serial production, and whereby Turkish frigates that became operational in order to meet the operational requirements of the Turkish Naval Forces were recently delivered much earlier by HAVELSAN. What are your assessments of the GENESIS Project?

Adm. Yigit: The GENESIS is a combat management system (CMS) developed by the Turkish Naval Research Center and later the know-how and knowledge gained were transferred to the domestic industry for serial-production. GENESIS has successfully been operational in 5 FFG-7 (ex U.S. O.H. Perry class) frigates since 2007, fulfilling the operational needs of the Turkish Navy as well as NATO forces. Currently, GENESIS retrofitted Turkish FFG-7’s are partaking in all national and international operations, as well as exercises and training activities all over the world.

GENESIS CMS replaces the obsolete combat information center architecture of the Perry class frigate's command and control system with a state of the art technology system, immediately addressing the most pressing operational and maintainability shortfalls of the existing one. GENESIS kept the current sensor and weapon configuration intact with only required sensor upgrades while C2 structure has been enhanced drastically to provide functionality in a distributed architecture. This gives us an opportunity of further improvements in sensors and weapons and to integrate them cost effectively to GENESIS. Beginning with the sixth ship, GENESIS CMS will have ESSM and 3-Dimensional radar capabilities, as well. The 8-ship programme will be completed in 2011.

GENESIS software infrastructure consists of middleware, namely GENIWARE, applications programmes and the COTS operating system. This software infrastructure provides increased tracking capacity, a high mean time between failures and modern display technologies and helps us to effectively increase operator cognition with costs.

On the other hand, the Turkish Navy took over the International FFG-7 frigates users working group (IFWG) chairmanship at the meeting that was held in Istanbul during 10-14 May 2010. In this meeting, a live demonstration of GENESIS CMS was carried out in one of our modernised FFG-7 frigates and admired by all participants. GENESIS CMS is being closely monitored by most of these nations and it may provide significant export potential in case of any modernisation programme initiation.


DT: The new type submarines with air-independent propulsions (AIP) will be built at the Gölcük Shipyard Command of our Naval Forces. Through this project, the related technology and torpedo section will entail a modern submarine building technology capability that will achieve the necessary infrastructure for “vertical construction”. What are your views and assessments on this Project?


Adm. Yigit: The contract for the procurement of New Type Submarines equipped with an air-independent propulsion system was signed on 02 July 2009.

Financial consultations regarding the project are currently ongoing under the coordination of the Undersecretariat for Defence Industry. Within this project, a total of six Type 214 submarines will be built at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard (GNSY).

The Turkish Navy will continue, also in the future, to sustain her effectiveness in our region with state of the art technology submarines with low signatures, enlarged submerged endurance, advanced weapons and sensors.

The technology that will be transferred with this project will improve the submarine construction infrastructure of Gölcük Naval Shipyard (GNSY), the quality and productivity using mechanised production techniques with specially designed machines and stations.


DT: Recently, the first of the New Type Patrol Boats (NTPB) was launched. How do you evaluate the existing activities within this Project?

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

It is targeted to achieve 70% of local content within this project.

Up to now, the Turkish Navy has made continuous contributions to the project and shared its existing know-how and experience with private shipyards.

AB-200 is to be commissioned in December 2010. Outfitting activities of second, third and fourth ships are still going on. Also, the hull constructions of fifth and sixth ships are in progress. It is important that the project activities progress as scheduled. The achievement so far is promising from the Turkish Navy’s perspective.


DT: In addition to these projects, could you please outline the ongoing underwater reconnaissance/protection system and autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) projects of the Turkish Navy?


Adm. Yigit: The underwater reconnaissance/protection systems that are being installed in critical bases of the Turkish Navy have been evaluated in accordance with the concept of harbour/port defence. In this regard, underwater networks consist of a variable number of sensors that are deployed to perform collaborative monitoring tasks over a given area. Underwater systems provide important contributions to implement anti submarine warfare and mine countermeasure (MCM) tasks.

Operating close to shore presents unique challenges, and dictates the use of unmanned systems. We are leveraging unmanned system technology to give the Navy enhanced war fighting capabilities. Since the unmanned systems are the key elements of navies in MCM missions, we have made a road map from ROVs to networked AUVs. On this issue, we also believe that this could be succeeded by the in-country defence industry. With this approach, MCM will be the first motivator for the unmanned underwater vehicle project. We foresee completing this approach with the networked collaborative ASW in coastal areas and MCM.


DT: UAVs, which have become rapidly used and a necessity in the most operative areas where personnel have the lowest risk in performing their duty, have become an important issue. What are your assessments on this subject and in particular on the use of UAVs by the Naval Forces?

Adm. Yigit: Along with the improvements in technologies, UAVs will reach wider ranges, be equipped with developed arms, have better reconnaissance and surveillance capabilities and a longer endurance.

In this respect, UAVs will have the utmost importance for the force implementation concept. They will be in the foreground with the peculiarity of force multiplier because of their effective use.

In addition to reconnaissance and surveillance (R&S) capabilities, I think that UAVs, which will carry more weapons, will be deputised for fighters or airplanes more than in the past, especially in risky areas, therefore causalities that could have occurred in peace/war time will be alleviated.

Parallel with technological developments, the use of UAVs will also increase worldwide. The UAVs will be primarily contributing to the reconnaissance activities as well as anti-piracy operations.

In this context, the Turkish Navy has foreseen the requirement of tactical and rotary wing UAVs and initiated the relevant procurement process for her force structure.


DT: Admiral, we have heard your views on the above mentioned projects. Aside from these topics would you summarise other existing modernisation activities and system projects of the Turkish Navy?

Adm. Yigit: The Turkish Navy has formed her force structure in order to accomplish assigned tasks in current defence conjuncture, which is a result of political and military developments. In order to sustain this force structure, we have the following planned/ongoing modernisation 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 the 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), and Landing Craft Personnel Vehicles (LCVP). The new generation LST will be a 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 be used on the LPD. Besides, fast amphibious ships (Landing Craft Tank-LCT), construction continues in local shipyards 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 sub-sea 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 work 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 costs and remain 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 operations and act as a target ship during exercises. It is planned that the contract for both projects will be signed in 2010.

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


DT: Lastly, could you convey a message to the readers?

Adm. Yigit: In the wake of the Cold War, a transformation occurred from the conventional defence perception, which depends on the protection of borders and deterrence, to the new security perception, which focuses on the establishment of global security far beyond the borders. In this context, various initiatives have been implemented aiming to obtain security with the cooperative and complementary efforts of states and organisations both at regional and global scales.

The reflections of this new security perception on the maritime dimension, which constitutes an inseparable part of global security, has enabled us to take on new tasks that naval forces undertake, such as maritime security and maritime interdiction, along with conventional ones. World Navy’s have developed appropriate capabilities compatible with these tasks.

In this period of change, developing capabilities in accordance with the changes in the global security environment and participating in the initiatives to establish regional and global security and stability have been defined as the main principles for the Turkish Naval Forces. Today, while our Navy is fully capable of conducting its primary mission of protecting our national maritime interests, it also continues as an active staunch member of many regional and global security initiatives.

The determination of our Navy’s capabilities to be acquired and developed in the future security environment requires the accurate analysis of the dynamics that shapes this environment, and the middle and long term force planning processes towards this goal.

When we look at the global developments in this context, we witness that the struggle for the exploitation of maritime natural resources and sharing of seas gains momentum facing the rapid increase in the world population and the fast consumption of natural resources. In this environment of struggle, our nation, owing to a fortunate geography, has a second homeland under the sea, almost as large as half of Turkey’s territorial area. Regarding that, the future generations will need this “BLUE HOMELAND”, and the wealth and power of this land will provide more than we do, it is inevitable that protecting our rights and interests in our maritime areas of jurisdiction and interest will be of the highest priority in the future, as well.

On the other hand, it is our permanent goal to continue modernising our surface, sub-surface and air assets, along with supporting facilities and ships, while acquiring new and high-tech platforms and systems in order to conduct the assigned duties perfectly.

Moving towards this aim, supporting the national defence industry is another priority of ours. Thus, the security of a country is dependent on the national defence industry, which produces high technology systems to be utilised by the armed forces without the authority of foreigners. It would surely constitute a great contribution to our strength that we have warships designed and built domestically, totally furnished with national command controls, weapons and engine systems.

On the other hand, regardless of the kinds of weapons and systems that we possess, always the greatest value and strength of the Turkish Naval Forces is her high-qualified personnel, which I am proud to command. The overwhelming developments we face in the technology do not undermine the importance of the human factor; on the contrary, the operation of most developed systems with full capacity requires highly-skilled and well-educated manpower. Consequently, it is paramount for us, as the Turkish Naval Forces continue educating and training sailors who are heartily bonded to the basic characteristics of the Republic by heart; are ready to conduct any assigned duty perfectly; and jointly have hearts full of love of Atatürk, country and sea.

In the Information Age, the success of the command control activities in the current and future operations of our Naval Forces is dependent upon the effective management of information, which is the most important input and output of this process. In this context, Turkish Naval Forces aim at being an information-based institution which assumes knowledge, expertise and experience as institutional capabilities and assets; supports the exchange and sharing of information with a high level of automation; functions in accordance with the principles of information and data management, and possesses decisive superiority whenever needed.

Apart from that, the realisation of the ideal of the “Maritime Nation-Maritime State,” is a historical responsibility of the Turkish Naval Forces, which has always assumed the leading role in the development of all aspects of our maritime power. Our activities to introduce and enhance the sea and seamanship will continue throughout all Turkey, as it has been so far.

Last but not least, Turkish Naval Forces, capable of undertaking its national and international responsibilities and commitments perfectly, will continue contributing to regional and global peace, security and stability and to be the most significant guardians of Turkey’s maritime sovereignty and interests in the 21st century.


DT: Thank you very much, Admiral Yigit.

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