Havelsan Regional Business Development Manager Dr. Tahir Çonka gives information on the implementation and success of the GENESİS combat management system in the ships of the Turkish Navy
In the first decade of the 21st century, Turkish defense industry reorganized along with a renovated infrastructure to meet the ongoing demand of the armed forces. There were three remarkable events in recent years. In 2011, all eight ships of the GENESİS G-Class (ex FFG 7 Oliver Hazard Perry) modernization program were completed. In 2013, the second corvette of the MİLGEM project was delivered to the Turkish Navy. Finally, in 2014, the last four of the 16 platforms of New Type Patrol Boat (NTPB) program were launched. HAVELSAN has been a part of these efforts by providing Combat Management System (CMS) for Turkish Navy’s GENESİS G-Class (ex FFG 7 Oliver Hazard Perry) Frigate Modernization, MİLGEM Corvette and New Type Patrol Boat programs.
Combat Management System (CMS) is the brain of a warship’s combat system. It takes in all relevant external and internal information to enable the ship’s command team to detect, analyze and act against threats to both the ship itself and the surrounding friendly forces. By being responsible for interrelated functioning of each subsystem, CMS behaves as a maestro in order to enhance survivability and compatibility of the platform. HAVELSAN is involved as the CMS provider of all three above-mentioned projects.
GENESİS was conceived by the Research Center Command (ARMERKOM) of the Turkish Navy. It built a prototype as a proof of concept and developed the system to the full extend. After the system got enough maturity, the GENESİS project was handed over to Turkish defense contractor HAVELSAN for further improvement, serial production and international marketing.
The GENESİS was created to update the old CIC of the Perry class frigates, replace all legacy consoles and displays with modern multifunction operator consoles. Derived from Turkish name of the project (Gemi Entegre Savaş İdare Sistemi – Ship Integrated Combat Management System), GENESİS means in a way a second life for the Perry frigates. With the implementation of GENESİS all existing sensors and weapons systems were integrated and these platforms received a fully integrated weapons control capability featuring enhanced tracking capacity, automatic threat detection and improved tactical data links.
GENESİS is a state-of-the-art combat management system that quickly, efficiently and effectively detects, identifies, tracks and engages air, surface and subsurface threats across multiple radar and surveillance systems for optimum awareness and decision making. GENESİS CMS introduces a variety of advanced capabilities to the combat management area. Quick data processing provides virtually unlimited information to naval decision makers. To meet the current and future needs GENESİS provides:
– Open Systems Architecture
– A scalable and affordable design
– Infrastructure ready for Network – Enabled Capability
– Innovative capabilities proven on modern platforms
– Advanced operator support
The modular architecture of the system allows configuring GENESİS for multi-mission capable platforms, as well as providing interoperability in multi-mission operations:
– Command and Control
– Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance
– Sensor/Weapon Control
– Anti-Submarine Warfare
– Surface Warfare
– Anti-Air Warfare
– Electronic Warfare
– Amphibious Operations and MOOTW (for LST and LHD type ships)
– Tactical Navigation functions with support of ARPA, (W) ECDIS, (W)AIS.
– On-board Training & Simulation
GENESİS provides the ship and the command team with outstanding operational capabilities in support of all mission types, both in the open seas as well as in littoral regions. Excellence in situational awareness and rapid & precise tactical response in all warfare domains are appreciated features of the GENESİS CMS. Support for interoperability in allied/coalition operations, onboard training, recording (logging) and debriefing are key characteristics of GENESİS CMS.
Currently there are eight (8) GABYA Class (ex FFG 7 Oliver Hazard Perry) frigates in service. These make the backbone of Turkish Navy. Since their commissioning in Turkish Navy GABYA Class frigates are almost under constant modernization.
The first phase of the modernization was the lengthening of the ships. The short-hulled ships were not able to operate the SH-70B Seahawk helicopters. The solution was to lengthen the ship by three meters and relocate the capstans. This operation was done to all Turkish GABYA Class (ex FFG 7 Oliver Hazard Perry) frigates at the Gölcük Naval Shipyard in early 2000s. Now all frigates are able to operate SH-70B Seahawk.
The second phase of the modernization was the GENESİS Project. GENESİS modernizes and expands the capabilities of the Combat Management System (CMS) used on FFG 7 ships, while leveraging its original foundation to interface with the ship’s sensors, weapons and platform data. With GENESIS, all OJ-197 and OJ 194 consoles, as well as both weapon control consoles (WCC) are removed.
The GENESIS Combat Information Center (CIC) features eight operator consoles with dual, vertical flat-panel displays; two tactical consoles with side-by-side displays; and a large screen display. Additional features include integrated video distribution with multiple topside cameras, customized Commanding Officer and Bridge displays and digital data recording. The weapon support processor (WSP) is replaced with an open and distributed architecture CMS that runs on modern, commercial-off-shelf (COTS) processors and workstations. While the MK 92 fire control system remains the same, the AN/UYK-7 computer that was used as the WSP is reconfigured as a cold, backup replacement of the MK 92 weapon control processor (WCP). This system enhances the ships’ situation awareness and accelerates the defense capabilities, decreasing the detect-to-engage reaction time by more than half.
F-492 TCG GEMLİK was the first ship to receive the GENESİS system. She was handed over to Turkish Navy in May 2007. Then seven more GABYA Class Frigates also received the GENESIS suite by the end of year 2012 by HAVELSAN.
The third phase of the modernization: Four of the total eight Gabya (O.H. Perry) class frigates received forward of the existing Mk13 SM-1 SAM launcher an 8-cell Mk41 vertical launcher system (VLS) for total 32 ESSM SAM and a new Thales SMART-S Mk2 3D radar that replaced the AN/SPS-49(V)4 radar. Moreover, their Mk92 STIR Mod 2 fire control system was upgraded to Mod 12 level. Their Phalanx CIWS also will be upgraded in the near future to Block 1B baseline 2.
GENESİS currently is at the core of the Turkish Navy’s following combatants:
– GABYA Class (O.H. Perry) Frigate Modernization Program (eight Frigates)
– BARBAROS Class (MEKO) Frigate Modernization Program (four Frigates)
– MİLGEM (National Ship) ADA Class Corvette new ship building Program (four Corvettes)
– TUZLA Class Patrol Boats new ship building Program (sixteen Patrol Boats)
– Landing Ship Tanks (LST) new ship Building Program (two LST)
– Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) new Ship Building Program (one LHD)
HAVELSAN is also the Combat Management System provider and system integrator for Pakistani Navy Corvette building Program (four Corvettes) and Agosta90B Submarine Modernization Program.
