The Turkish Ministry of Defence announced today that the Turkish Navy conducted a test of the Roketsan-made AKYA heavy weight torpedo (HWT) from TCG Preveze (S-353) in the Sea of Marmara. The event marked the first live-firing from an upgraded Preveze-class (Type 209/1400) submarine, which is currently fitted with the indigenous MUREN combat management system (CMS) within the scope of mid-life upgrade. AKYA HWT has been fired by two fire control systems so far; in the first test, the torpedo was fired by the ISUS 90-33 fire control system, while the second test was conducted by MÜREN CMS.
AKYA is a new generation heavyweight torpedo (HWT) launched from submarines to engage submarines and surface targets of various types. AKYA, which operates at high speeds and long ranges, has an active/passive sonar head, while internal control is via internal and fiber optic cables. AKYA is a high-speed, long-range torpedo that is fully autonomous or controlled via fiber-optic cable and has an active/passive sonar homing head. the heavyweight torpedo will reportedly have a length of 7 m and a diameter of 533 mm. The HWT will weigh 1.2 tons and have a range of 15 km at a cruising speed of 40 knots. In addition, AKYA has wake vortex control for surface targets.
The MÜREN (Milli Üretim Entegre Sualti Sava? Yönetim Sistemi) project has been carried out by TUBITAK BILGEM in collaboration with the Turkish Navy and Golcuk Naval Shipyard. Beginning in 2015, the MÜREN-AY program involved the delivery of one ground station system and two submarine systems. AY-class (Type 209/1200) submarines, were outfitted with the capacity to launch modern heavyweight torpedoes, conduct target motion analyses (TMA) utilizing sonar, periscope, and ESM data, and manage tracks using an indigenous weapon control unit. MÜREN CMS is also compatible with Reis-class (Type-214 TN), which are under construction and scheduled to enter service in the following years.
The Turkish Navy is the largest operator of the Type 209 submarines that operates six Type 209/1200 submarines (commissioned between 1976 and 1989) and eight Type 209/1400 submarines (commissioned between 1994 and 2007). The Type 209/1400 submarine is powered by a diesel electric propulsion system that includes four MTU 12V 396 diesel engines delivering 2.8MW, with four alternators and one Siemens 3.7MW motor, driving a single shaft. The Type 209/1400 submarine is armed with eight 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes able to launch Tigerfish Mk 24 Mod 2, STN Atlas DM2A4, and Harpoon missile.
