Recent data released by the Turkish Ministry of Defense on December 21, 2023, has unveiled a significant milestone in the naval domain as the Navy’s Preveze class submarine, TCG Preveze, to launch of the Akya heavyweight torpedo. This launch stands as a pivotal element within the comprehensive modernization endeavors targeted at enhancing the capabilities of the Preveze-class submarines, which have undergone integration with the advanced MÜREN combat management system. The collaborative effort involving TÜB?TAK BILGEM, the Turkish Navy’s Research and Development Command, and Golcuk Naval Shipyard has been instrumental in the development of this indigenous system. This innovation serves as a cornerstone in the overarching strategy to modernize the combat management systems embedded within the Preveze-class submarines.
Developed by Roketsan specifically for the Turkish Navy, the Akya torpedo has emerged as a cutting-edge addition to the naval arsenal. Having completed its testing phase as of 2021, it swiftly transitioned into serial production. Named after the Turkish term for Leerfish, the Akya torpedo boasts an impressive array of features, propelled by a brushless DC electric motor and counter-rotating propellers powered by high-energy electrochemical batteries. It excels in speed, surpassing 45 knots (83 km/h; 52 mph), while exhibiting an extended operational range of over 50 kilometers (27 nautical miles). With a 350–380 kg (770–840 lb) underwater shock-insensitive warhead, it incorporates a proximity sensor and operates externally through wire guidance via a fiber-optic cable. The torpedo’s capabilities include active/passive sonar heads, acoustic countermeasures, and wake homing.
The Akya torpedo stands at 7 meters (23 feet) in length with a diameter of 533 mm (21.0 inches), showcasing a formidable presence within its compact dimensions. Its technical aspects encompass a proximity/impact fuse, an underwater shock-effect warhead, and a swim-out launch configuration. The sophisticated propulsion system harnesses the prowess of a brushless DC electrical motor and counter-rotating propellers, fueled by a high-energy chemical battery. Under the ambit of the MÜREN-PREVEZE program, initiated in 2017, the objective revolves around substituting the existing ISUS-83/2 CMS onboard the Preveze-class submarines with the state-of-the-art MÜREN CMS. This enhancement will enable these submarines to effectively deploy both the DM2A4 SeaHake and the indigenous Akya heavyweight torpedoes, augmenting their operational capabilities significantly.
Turkey is the largest operator of German-designed submarines in the world. The Preveze-class is built on the Type 209/1400 variant of the Type 209 family line. The Type 209 (German: U-Boot-Klasse 209) is a range of diesel-electric attack submarines developed exclusively for export by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft of Germany. Five class variants (Types 209/1100, 209/1200, 209/1300, 209/1400 and 209/1500), including modifications thereof, have been successfully exported to 15 countries, with 68 submarines being built and commissioned to five different variants between 1971 and 2021. The largest operator of the Type 209 is the Turkish Navy which commissioned six Type 209/1200s (At?lay class) between 1976 and 1989, four Type 209/1400s (Preveze class) between 1994 and 1999, and four more Type 209/1400s (Gür class) between 2003 and 2007.
