At the “Information Exchange and Technology Platform Seminar” held on December 26, 2009 at STM, Cüneyt AKSU from the Systems Department made a presentation on “Naval Shipbuilding and Design.

The presentation focused on naval ship building and design phases, which encompass a complicated and long-term string of activities, and emphasized that the naval ship design process generally consists of five levels, i.e. feasibility, concept design, preliminary design, contract design and detailed design. The presentation also addressed the differences between naval and commercial ship design and construction.

The presentation pointed out the importance of ensuring that the local private sector shipyards take part in naval shipbuilding projects in order to develop the capability to undertake the described ship design and construction activities, and briefly outlined the current state of private sector shipyards in Turkey with regard to naval ship design and construction. Furthermore, the presentation gave information on the Naval Shipbuilding Sub-Industry Workshops carried out for 3 months in 2008 at the premises of the Undersecretariat of Defence Industries (SSM) with the participation of  STM Inc.

Finally, the presentation explained that with regard to naval shipbuilding and design, the defence industry is a sector that does not allow strict application of the rules applicable for the commercial shipbuilding sector due to the necessity to produce for private and limited requirements and specific requirements such as security, confidentiality etc; nevertheless the sector must always focus on exploring the highest technology  areas and developing original technologies and products, because of the constant need to develop a measure/counter-measure. Furthermore, it was emphasized that the Turkish shipbuilding industry must develop to a level where it is able to meet the defence requirements of the country and must have the capabilities needed to build, with original designs, high-tech battleships and auxiliary ships that have export potentials.

STM, assigned for “Provision of Ship Platform Construction and Outfitting Materials and Services” for the Patrol and Anti-Submarine Warfare Ship (MILGEM) project by the virtue of Decision 281 of the Defence Industry Executive Committee  Meeting held on June 22, 2005, continues its activities.  Under the project, in which the procurement of design support services were also added with the SSIK decision of February  17, 2006, STM  cooperates with more than 80 subcontractors , contributing to development of the sector’s ecosystem.