At the Istanbul exhibition EDR On-Line understood that the new Malaman naval bottom mine developed by MKE and KoçSavunma under the auspices of TÜBITAK, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey is ready to become part of the Turkish Naval inventory, the acquisition contract having been signed with the Turkish Navy
According to information gathered at Saha Expo, a contract was signed with the Navy for an undisclosed amount of Malaman bottom mines to be provided in the coming years, which will free the service from foreign mines and will increase the effectiveness, thanks to some peculiarities of the new ordnance.
The project is now frozen; no precise data were provided, however in previous exhibitions it was stated that its diameter was 533 mm, the calibre of heavy tube torpedoes allowing the Malaman to be deployed by submarines, its length was 1.8 metres, and its mass 600 kg. It contains a “quantity of explosive sufficient to disable vessels specified in the target categories,” according to company documents, insensitive explosive being of the plastic bonded type, its amount being estimated around 400+ kg.
The casing and explosive are the responsibility of MKE, while the electronic component is provided by KoçSavunma. This includes three types of sensors, acoustic, magnetic and pressure, which data are combined together to allow detecting the approaching vessel, the system being able to discriminate between real and misleading signals such as ambient noise and mine detection signals. An identification-friend-or-foe system avoids the mine to be activated under friendly vessels. Although no information was released on identification capacity, it is quite probable that AI-based algorithms are being used, allowing the system to precisely know the type of vessel approaching. An electronic loking system prevents the mine to be removed by the enemy.
The Malaman can be deployed by surface or submarine vessels as well as from the air, a parachute being added. It can operate at depths between 5 and 100 metres, and before deployment all functions are automatically checked, visual and audible warning signals providing alarm in case of malfunction. Once the Malaman reaches the bottom a cover produced with a special materiel mimicking the seabed surface reduces the mine echo should a mine detection sonar “ping” it. The cover was developed by CES Advanced Composited and Defence Technologies, a company based in Ankara. The cover shrouds only the top half of the mine, and according to the producers it automatically goes into place once the mine reaches the bottom.
Recently the Turkish Navy Chief announced that the botto mine has entered the service inventory. The Malaman has a service life (storage life) of at least 10 years, and is MIL-STD-810 compliant.
Photos by P. Valpolini
