Page 10 - SAHA EXPO 2024 - DAY 2

Turkish Version of Russian Air-Bombs on the Anvil

Assan Group’s Ankara facility manufactures ammunition per year. Our negotiations with
the MK series general purpose bomb— MK- different countries for the establishment
81, MK-82, MK-83 and MK-84, which are also of a MK series bomb production line are
compatible with the Nato aircraft. ongoing,” he added.
Assan Group exports MK series bombs to “Overall if you see, we produce MK
more than 10 countries, and the company Series General Purpose Bombs, 122mm
sees a huge demand for these bombs from Rockets, 155mm Howitzer Ammunition
Europe and the Middle East. “We will soon and 60/81/120mm Mortar Ammunition,”
establish a production line of MK series he said.
bombs in the Middle East,” the official said. Referring to ammunition production capaci-

Assan Group plans to make the Turkish “We are capable of producing approximate- ty and line installation capability, the compa-
version of the Russian-made OFAB-500 ly 50,000 mechanical bodies per year for ny official said by mid of 2025, Assan Group
fragmentation high-explosive incendiary air- MK series general purpose bombs. Our will make operational the new production
bomb, and the FAB-500 M-62 high-explosive annual MK series bomb production capacity line of the 155mm Howitzer ammunition
aircraft bomb, to tap the markets for these will soon be 80, 000,” he added. and 122mm rockets at Gerede. Soon af-
weapons, hitherto dominated by Russia. ter operationalising the new facility, the
“Up until now, we have exported these company expects to attain its full produc-
While, the OFZAB-500 is designed to engage bombs as mechanical bodies to more than tion capacity of 360,000 155mm Howitzer
light armoured and soft-skin targets, POL de- 20 countries, including Bulgaria, Brazil and ammunition per year. Some of this will
pots and other targets through a combined Romania. We have exported bombs in full be in different configurations such as 20
blast, fragmentation and thermal effects, ammunition configuration to Azerbaijan by kilometers and some 40 kilometers range.
the FAB-500 M-62 high-explosive bomb is receiving the filling service from outside, “We plan to produce the fuses for both
designed to destroy military industrial facil- the official said. 122mm and 155mm ammunition ourselves,
ities, railway junctions, light armoured and Assan Group is currently working with a both through our own R&D activities and
soft-skin targets, manpower, and military local partner to establish a MK series bomb through technology transfer. We want to do
field fortifications.
production line in Azerbaijan. many things ourselves, as much as pos-
“We see a huge market for these bombs, sible, as we aim to become a world-class
and we want to explore this opportunity,” a “We plan to put the line into operation in company in mass production, not only in
senior company executive told Daily News 2025. It will be in Nakhchivan and will have ammunition bodies but also in the produc-
on the sidelines of the SAHA Expo. the capacity to produce 10,000 full-shot tion of full-shot ammunition,” he added.
autonomous tactical unmanned aerial vehi-
cles (UAVs), and our command-and-control
engineering knowledge to develop this na-
tional unmanned autonomous underwater
vehicle with own resources. The STM NETA
300 shallow underwater vehicle that we are
unveiling today is a first for us, and is the
first member of what will become a family
of platforms. The first deployment of STM
NETA 300 will be for mine detection and
destruction missions.”
STM NETA 300 has a maximum speed of
5 knots and can operate for up to 24 hours
STM Unveils Neta on a single battery charge. It is equipped
to meet both military and civilian needs,
boasting a modular and flexible design, a
high autonomy level and unique software,
On the opening day of SAHA Expo 2024, among others by Vice President of Defence allowing it to take part in a broad range of
Turkish shipbuilder STM unveiled its Industries, Mustafa Murat Şeker, and STM missions, from intelligence, surveillance and
Autonomous Unmanned Underwater Vehicle General Manager Özgür Güleryüz. reconnaissance, to anti-submarine warfare,
(UUV) STM NETA.
“The dynamic developments in the battle- explosive disposal, and pipeline and geo-
According to the company, the project field are leading to the increased use of physical surveys. “After the extensive efforts
combines the engineering capabilities unmanned aerial and naval platforms,” said to develop the STM NETA 300, the first
typically reserved for naval platforms and Güleryüz. “Building on our experience as member of its family, we have now moved
autonomous unmanned systems. The un- Türkiye's leading engineering company in na- on to the pool and sea testing phases, with
veiling of STM NETA, Türkiye's national un- val engineering solutions, we have combined images to be shared very soon,” Güleryüz
manned underwater vehicle, was attended our naval competencies, our capabilities in added.

10 OCTOBER-23-2024 WWW.GBP.COM.SG/DAILY NEWS