STM, Türkiye’s naval engineering power, has been given system procurement and platform integration responsibility for the Mid-Life Modernization of the Gür-Class Submarines (Type-209/1400) in the inventory of the Turkish Naval Forces. Critical navigation, mechanical and communication systems on board the Gür-Class Submarines will be modernised with modern national capabilities, thus extending their service life. Under the leadership of the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye, Defence Industry Agency (SSB), STM Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.?. – a key player in Türkiye’s defence sector and in the development of national-modern technologies – continues to take critical tasks in the modernization of the Navy’s submarines – as one of the key strike power of the Turkish Armed Forces. An important milestone has been reached in the Preveze and Gür-Class submarine (Type 209/1400) programmes, as the backbone of the Submarine Command in the Blue Homeland. A Contract Amendment adding operations related to the Gür-Class Submarine Mid-Life Modernization Program to the content of the Preveze-Class Submarine Mid-Life Modernization Program, was signed between the STM-ASELSAN-ASFAT-HAVELSAN Joint Venture (JV) and the SSB on 17 January, 2024.
In the first phase of the renewed programme, the JV will modernise some of the critical navigation, machinery and communication systems on board the Gür-Class Submarines. The program, in which STM is undertaking responsibility for system procurement and platform integration, is expected to be completed in 6 years. In addition to the procurement and integration activities outlined in the Preveze-YÖM project, platform integration of the Domestically Produced Integrated Combat Management System (MÜREN) aboard the PREVEZE-Class Submarines and ADVENT MÜREN Combat Management Systems aboard GÜR-Class Submarines are also carried out under the responsibility of STM. The Turkish Navy has four Gür-Class Submarines, first of which were commissioned in 2004. In the Mid-Life Modernization Program of Preveze-Class Submarines initiated by the SSB in 2019, acceptance of the Inertial Navigation System, CTD Probes, Chilled Water System and Static Inverters, which have been procured and integrated on board TCG PREVEZE by STM, was completed in 2023, and the modernization of the submarines under the project continues.
Özgür Güleryüz, General Manager of STM, stating that STM is undertaking important tasks in the fields of submarine design, construction and modernization, added: “With our qualified human resources and engineering power, we are carrying out critical works on the submarines of our Navy and our brother countries. As part of the modernization works, we are continuing our efforts to equip our PREVEZE and GÜR-Class submarines, following the Ay-Class submarines, with the most advanced systems. We hope that the decisions taken and our projects will be beneficial for the Defence Industry Agency, Turkish Naval Forces Command and all our stakeholders. We will continue our operations without interruption to strengthen our Submarine Fleet Command, which is advancing ‘Silently and Deeply’ in the Blue Homeland.
The Preveze-Class Submarines Mid-life Modernization Program covers the modernization of 4 submarines, namely, TCG Preveze (S-353), TCG Sakarya (S-354), TCG 18 Mart (S-355) and TCG Anafartalar (S-356) STM is takes the role of coordinator partner in the Project with responsibilities of procuring nine systems, and the platform integration of all systems procured under the project. As part of its design, construction and modernization activities, STM is producing indigenous and flexible engineering solutions for the surface and submarine platforms of the Turkish Navy, and for those of friendly and allied nations, aiming to address specific needs and ensure more effective mission performance. Undertaking crucial tasks in the submarine modernization and construction projects of the Turkish Navy, STM successfully completed the modernization of two Ay-Class submarines in its role as main contractor in 2015. Continuing its system procurement and platform integration activities as coordinator partner in the modernization of four Preveze-class submarines, STM has also been serving as the main contractor in the modernization of the French-made Agosta 90B Khalid-class submarines owned by Pakistan since 2016. Deliveries of the first two submarines in the Agosta 90B Modernization project have been completed, and STM is continuing the modernisation works on the third submarine in Pakistan.
STM is also playing an important role in the construction of New-Type Submarines (Reis-Class), which will be equipped with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system. STM has successfully carried out design, engineering and system integration activities related to the Turkish Navy’s latest modern submarine design – the Reis-Class submarine, and has completed the domestic production of “Section 50” of the bow, which houses the torpedo tubes (main weapons), becoming one of the few countries in the world that can carry out such a task, and has completed their delivery under the Project. In other news, the pressure hull test production of the small-sized STM500 submarine designed by STM engineers using domestic resources started in June 2022, and STM’s R&D activities to develop an unmanned autonomous underwater vehicle are also underway.
