Turkish defense giant Aselsan is preparing to add new products to its export portfolio, this time with systems to be used on naval platforms.
Accordingly, the torpedo countermeasure system and electronic map-based navigation system it has developed for surface and underwater platforms will be sold abroad soon.
The factory acceptance tests of the Zargana Torpedo Countermeasure System for submarines, which was developed within the country by Aselsan under the scope of the Half-Life Modernization Project of the Pakistan Navy’s Agosta 90B Class submarines, have been completed, an Anadolu Agency (AA) report said Monday.
Factory acceptance tests were also carried out within the scope of the integration of Zargana, developed under the leadership of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), with Indonesian submarines.
Aselsan’s torpedo countermeasure solutions for submarines were introduced to the world for the first time with the Zoka Acoustic Decoy/Scramblers, which were delivered to the Indonesian Navy in 2019 and 2020 after entering the inventory of the Turkish Naval Forces Command.
Zargana, which includes the Launcher System, Decision Support System and Zoka Acoustic Deception/Scrambler subsystems, meanwhile, will be exported abroad for the first time.
Zargana stands out as the first and only domestic submarine torpedo countermeasure system with superior capabilities compared to its counterparts in the world.
The system enables the determination of the most appropriate evasion tactic against torpedo threats by using the target and environment data obtained from the submarine, and enables the programmatic launch of acoustic decoys and jammers from the launchers located on the port and starboard per the determined tactic. Acoustic jammers produce broadband noise, preventing the torpedo from detecting the submarine, while acoustic decoys mimic the submarine and deceive the torpedo.
The integration of these systems to Pakistan and Indonesia’s selected platforms will also pave the way for supply to other submarines in the inventories of both countries.
The Turkish company has another export-oriented project tailored initially for the MILGEM (National Ship) Ada-class corvettes developed for Pakistan’s navy.
Factory acceptance tests of two Aselsan MITOSTM WECDIS, which will serve on Pakistan’s first MILGEM ship, were completed at the company’s facilities in the capital Ankara. This marks an important milestone for the export of the system that will be a first.
Aselsan MITOSTM was developed as an electronic map-based navigation system product family for surface and underwater platforms. WECDIS and the Digital Trace Desk (SIM), within the product group, were developed to be used on military platforms, while ECDIS was developed for civilian platforms.
The MITOSTM WECDIS assists navigation by providing information compatible with current electronic maps that must be used according to the rules of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The system provides route planning and route tracking capability to navigation personnel on electronic navigation maps by using location, orientation, speed relative to the ground and sea, and similar information obtained from navigation systems.
Systems belonging to the product group are currently used on 12 platforms domestically, and with the Pakistan MILGEM project, it will be possible to use them on different platforms in the Pakistani market.