How did Turkey beat US sanctions and produce its own naval gun?

In light of the US "CATSA" sanctions, and after the Italians raised prices so as not to "sell" naval guns to Turkey under US pressure, Turkey not only succeeded in developing its naval guns with local capabilities within a short period, but also produced them for less than half the price of their cost.

Proceeding from Nietzsche’s famous saying: “What does not kill you makes you stronger,” in his book “The Twilight of Idols,” Turkey managed, within a very short period of time, to overcome the American sanctions known as “CATSA” that prohibits the sale of advanced weapons and military technologies as a punishment for Turkey for its purchase of the system. The Russian Air Defense "S-400" years ago, and these modern supplies and technologies were successively produced with purely local capabilities.

Among the weapons developed by Turkey after the US sanctions, is the 62/76 mm naval gun, which was developed by the Turkish Machinery and Chemical Industries Corporation (MKE) during a short period of research and development work that lasted only 12 months, and succeeded in passing the first test firing on Wednesday. the past.

With this achievement, Turkey was not only able to manufacture its own national naval cannon at half the cost price, but also reserved a seat for itself in the club of major countries that manufacture this type of weapon, which does not exceed 8 countries.

The motives behind the localization of its production

Until a time when Turkey, as is the case with many major countries, imported 76 mm naval guns from the Italian company (Oto Melara), which captured the market for the manufacture and export of naval guns worldwide.

However, under American pressure, the Italian company raised the prices of the guns that it intended to supply to Turkey to make it difficult to purchase them from Turkey, which Ankara saw as a matter of national security because it uses this type of guns a lot on its naval vessels spread over its "blue homeland", as well as the It is installed on the deck of small and medium-sized warships of the Ada and Anadolu class and others.

Accordingly, the Turkish Defense Industries Corporation urged Turkish companies and engineers to develop a similar weapon with purely local capabilities, which was eventually achieved. Thus, Turkey has included in the list of products that have been localized in recent years, advanced and modern naval guns produced only by the United States of America, China, Russia, England, Italy and France.

Turkish Cannon Specifications

On November 10, the Turkish Machinery and Chemical Industries Corporation (MKE) shared on its Twitter account a video showing the first test trial of its new naval gun, titled the video with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk's famous phrase: "Victory is for those who say victory is mine," and a writer It was on the first shot that I successfully fired in the first test firing.

The cannon system consists of a weapon with a maximum range of about 16 kilometers and a barrel with a diameter of 79 millimeters and a length of 4,700 millimeters. While the system weighs 7 thousand and 500 kilograms without ammunition, and about 8 thousand and 500 kilograms when loaded with ammunition.

The gun is capable of firing 80 rounds per minute automatically through its own control systems, and is effective against land, sea and air targets.

The national naval gun, which will be installed on the deck of the home-made Istanbul frigate, is expected to be ready for use in just one year. It will also be able to be used on all the offensive parts and frigates of the "Gabia" class, as well as the warships that are being produced within the "Malgam" project for the development and manufacture of national warships.

Elite Club

Defense and naval researcher Kozan Selcuk Erkan, who spoke to TRT Haber, believes that the most difficult part in the production of naval guns on a large scale begins with knowing their industrial technology. while moving, without standing still, as on the ground, under difficult conditions.”

Erkan added, "The naval gun is a very expensive and difficult weapon to manufacture, and few countries in the world can manufacture it. Thanks to (MKE), Turkey entered this elite club for the first time."

With this achievement, Turkey has reserved a seat among the best countries in the world in the field of designing and developing warships at a high, national and local rate, especially after its success in developing and producing the elements and systems that constitute the highest cost in such projects, such as launch systems and sensor systems.