Tolga Özbek's interview with DATUM:
A few months ago, you may remember that Professor Cansın had come and been a guest in our studio, and he had shared some very valuable information about Datum. He had said that the tests were just around the corner. Now we even have the footage behind us. We will also play the test video during the interview. At this point, Datum has met the depths of the Blue Homeland. So, professor, let’s talk a bit about this test. How did it go?
> > Thank you for having me in your studio.
> > Professor, you keep building submarines. Well done.
> > You are always welcome here.
> > Thank you. Now, this adventure started back in 2009 with the idea of building a mini submarine. At that time, we presented our project to the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, as it was then called. We made our first application in 2012. Finally, in 2021, the project was approved. People were almost making fun of me: “You’ve been going around saying you’re going to build a submarine for years, but there’s still nothing.” And I kept saying, “We’re working on it.” Now a huge burden has been lifted off my shoulders. We really did build our submarine.
For the first time in Türkiye, we built a completely domestically designed submarine — 100% local, without even a foreign consultant. People always ask, “But is the engine local?”
> > The classic question: is the engine local?
> > Yes, the engine is local too. All the systems inside are local. Most of them were designed directly by Datum itself. Through this project, Türk Loydu, for the first time, carried out the entire approval process for a submarine: approving the design, verifying that all onboard systems met submarine standards, and then certifying it. Afterward, with actual diving tests, Türkiye successfully completed the class certification process for a mini submarine and launched it into the sea for the first time.
Now, this is a technology demonstrator. We built a mini submarine and proved that we can design submarines, certify them according to Türk Loydu standards, and successfully dive them. Türk Loydu had a very difficult job. As you know, the MILDEN project is coming. Just as MILGEM warships are classed by Türk Loydu, and all the warships developed in Türkiye and even exported abroad are classed by Türk Loydu, we believe MILDEN will also be classed by Türk Loydu.
Thanks to this project, they rapidly gained experience on a prototype mini submarine regarding how submarine design should be done, what tests should be conducted, and how the certification process should proceed. This means they are entering the MILDEN project much more prepared.
In addition, this submarine will serve as a test platform. Products developed for MILDEN can now be tested dynamically underwater without occupying the operational submarines of our Navy. Through this test platform, those capabilities become possible.
But more importantly, we have now gained know-how. And with this know-how, whatever operational need our Navy defines, we can design tailor-made submarines specifically for that mission instead of saying, “This is my submarine; I export it as-is.” If the Navy says, “I need this feature, this depth capability, and this operational performance,” we are now in a position to rapidly design and build a custom submarine for them.
We also consulted with both our submarine fleet and SAT commandos while developing new designs. Some are manned, some are unmanned.
Now, the unmanned one you see here—
> > In our package, yes.
> > —is a mini submarine called Sinarit. It is the same size as the multi-purpose mini submarine we have already built and dived, but since there is no crew onboard, the space allocated for humans has been converted into a payload bay where weapons or useful cargo can be placed. Since there are no humans inside, we can position systems along the sides and elsewhere.
So imagine a 3.8-meter underwater pickup truck. Whatever you place in the truck bed, this submarine can carry it underwater to wherever you want.
And transporting something underwater means this: if you move it through the air, there is radar detection; if you move it on the sea surface, again you can be detected by radar. But underwater, satellites cannot track you, radar cannot see you, and such a small fully electric submarine — especially our current multi-purpose submarine — is extremely quiet. Therefore, detecting it with either active or passive sonar is very difficult.
So this platform can transport payloads underwater to a desired location and either surface or communicate without surfacing. For example, it can emerge and launch two Atmaca missiles, two Çakır missiles, or deliver Gökdoğan or Bozdoğan missiles to a location where an air threat is expected.
The Malaman mine is now ready and in serial production. Recent events in the Strait of Hormuz clearly demonstrated how effective mines can be as weapons. This platform can transport and deploy up to 12 mines underwater exactly where you want them.
There are twelve different configurations for Sinarit. For example, Aselsan’s Mercan system can approach the surface, deploy Mercan, and conduct intelligence gathering. Meteksan’s synthetic aperture sonar can conduct underwater scanning, bathymetric surveys, mine hunting, and even neutralize mines by deploying an ROV.
In other words, this is essentially a platform capable of carrying all the technologies developed by Turkish defense companies for submarine and naval systems as payloads.
There is enormous interest — both from our Navy and especially from European Union countries. We will see what happens, but simply having built and successfully dived the first one significantly strengthens our position.
> > I would like to ask a bit about the testing process.
> > Of course.
> > You conducted this test without personnel onboard, correct? Where was it carried out? Can we share some details — for example, how deep it dived, provided it’s not classified?
> > What we can say is somewhat limited. We went offshore near Karamürsel. The multi-purpose mini submarine is normally a manned submarine operated by two personnel and can also carry two test personnel. However, for the initial deep-dive functional tests — which are also part of Türk Loydu’s classification process — we decided not to risk human life. Türk Loydu requires proof that the systems can function underwater.
So we said: this is our first attempt; there could be leaks or problems. We should not endanger human life. This also required significant software development. In fact, we completed much of the unmanned operation software that will later be used in Sinarit.
> > So you tested that as well.
> > Exactly. We suspended the submarine underwater from a floating crane using cables. Without risking human life, we tested the propeller and rudders and checked for leaks. Thankfully, there were no issues. In fact, we had already tested the submarine at even greater depths previously. So the functional tests were successfully completed.
At the moment, you see the submarine without its outer hull. We intentionally removed it so that if air escaped from somewhere or another issue occurred, we could observe it directly. Normally there is a composite outer shell that provides hydrodynamic form and aesthetics.
But beyond all else, the most important issue for a submarine is acoustics. We already built a submarine that is extremely difficult to detect with passive sonar — sonar systems that simply listen. Think of an electric car moving underwater silently.
But there are also active sonars, which send sound waves toward you and determine your location based on the reflection. Our submarine has a camouflage composite coating similar to that used on the Malaman mine. When active sonar waves hit the submarine, this coating absorbs the signal and prevents it from reflecting back. So the sonar operator perceives it as if the signal was simply absorbed by the ocean and never returned.
As a result, they will not be able to detect our position either actively or passively.
> > The tests, Türk Loydu certification — these are very important milestones. You have now seen the results. What are the next steps?
> > As I said, we have both manned and unmanned submarine alternatives. I already mentioned Sinarit. In addition, we have another vehicle called Gurnard. “Gurnard” refers to a fish that moves along the seabed.
After the Nord Stream sabotage and attacks on underwater pipelines and communication cables, we saw how important seabed warfare has become in asymmetric conflict. Gurnard was designed exactly for this purpose.
It can be carried aboard submarines. Two SAT commandos can leave the submarine without it surfacing, detach the Gurnard vehicle, and travel either into very shallow waters inaccessible to submarines or to very deep waters beyond submarine operational depth.
This is not a conventional diver delivery vehicle. It is pressure-resistant. Personnel enter it, close the hatch, remove the water, and descend to depths of up to 1,000 meters without being exposed to external pressure. There they can attach cables, cut cables, perform repairs, or inspect underwater objects.
Normally, when aircraft crash, ROVs are sent down. This system would enable such missions to be performed by humans as well.
There is also a payload compartment at the rear capable of deploying two Malaman mines. So it can infiltrate a harbor or military installation, deploy mines, cut cables, and so on. This is an even smaller two-person vehicle than the one we currently built.
And finally, we have what could be considered Datum’s flagship: a 20-meter submarine. We intentionally do not build very large submarines because Datum specializes in mobile platforms — submarines that can be stored in hangars, lowered into the sea by crane, and transported by truck from one location to another.
The recent Iran conflict also demonstrated how important such submarines can be. Visible shipyards and ports can be targeted, but facilities hidden inside mountains are protected. These small submarines can be built outside and moved into such facilities or even constructed underground.
A 20-meter submarine is small enough to fit anywhere a truck can go. Being transportable by aircraft is also a huge advantage.
The “Trança” platform has two heavyweight torpedo tubes capable of launching Akya torpedoes, Akata torpedoes, or deploying up to ten Malaman mines. It also includes a lockout chamber carrying six SAT commandos in dry, resting conditions for distances up to 400 nautical miles. The commandos can then exit through the chamber. So it also serves as a dry diver delivery vehicle.
You could say this is a heavily armed mini submarine from bow to stern.
> > We wish you success in your work. Conducting these tests and achieving certification through Türk Loydu are obviously important for the future and for exports as well. We look forward to hearing about new projects and developments. It has been a very enjoyable conversation, and we hope to welcome you back to our studio soon.
> > Thank you very much. I would be delighted to come again.
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DATUM Introduces Its Mini Submarine
Defense industry company Datum Submarine Technologies, based at Istanbul Technical University, introduced its domestically developed and produced mini submarine, which was designed and built with the support of the Presidency of Defense Industries. 
