History

A Mission Company

KoçSavunma was established on 27 December, 2006, after the appropriate conditions for the fulfilment of its mission had been established.

In the early 2000s, public-private collaborations in support of the development of the Turkish defence and aerospace sector gained momentum, and private sector companies increased their efforts in this regard.  In the same period, a series of public R&D efforts led by the Turkish Naval Research Centre Command started to yield very positive results. It was decided to transform the resulting acoustic, command and control, communications, and information systems into products, and to transfer the processes related to the product lifecycle to the private sector, but under the coordination and management of the SSB. It was in this environment that KoçSavunma launched its activities, intending to produce information and marine system technologies based on domestic and indigenous solutions.

Investing in People and Information

Founded with equity provided by Koç Holding, KoçSavunma entered the challenging field of underwater acoustics, where experience can make as much a difference as technology but can only be gained through long tests with operating systems. Laying down sturdy foundations, establishing strong human resources, and creating a competent tech infrastructure were all difficult processes that required long-term effort, up to as much as a decade for certain products.

KoçSavunma continued its activities with the support of Koç Holding and carried out R&D projects with the support of TÜBİTAK, and in the end, it completed this challenging process – nicknamed “Death Valley” in innovation literature – covering the entire process, from idea to sales.  By the end of this process, KoçSavunma had established a competent workforce, developed new technologies, some of which were patented, and had acquired the necessary modern technical infrastructure to support works from modelling-simulation to final tests.

R&D Efforts Turning into Products

KoçSavunma started its activities in a facility shared with KoçSistem in METU Technopolis after its establishment. In 2010, KoçSavunma moved to its current facility of approximately 2,000 square meters, also located in METU Technopolis.

KoçSavunma laid the foundations of its first R&D-based products and started to build its technological infrastructure. The first TÜBİTAK-supported, product-targeted R&D projects of the firm were an Embedded Acoustic Detection and Analysis System (EADAS), the Underwater Surveillance Network Project (USNP), and the Smart Mine (Malaman) project.

The first fruits of the R&D and product development labours of KoçSavunma were in the fields of acoustic sensor systems, acoustic detection, identification and classification systems, underwater situation awareness, acoustic models, smart sensors, underwater communications, and underwater system test areas, all falling under the general classification of marine electronics and systems. As a result, various successful products were presented to the market, including Smart Mines, Submarine Systems (Sonar Beacon, Vessel Information Systems, Atmosphere Surveillance System, Torpedo Countermeasure System), a Torpedo Wake Detector, an Acoustic Detection and Monitoring System and Offshore & Inshore Weapon Scoring Systems.

Ever-Expanding Product Range with the philosophy of “Integral of Technology and Derivatives of Products”

In all of its efforts, KoçSavunma’s motto is “expansion through technological integration and derivatives of products”, leading to the continual expansion of its product range. The company has adopted the smart acoustic buoy concept created within the scope of the EADAS project into such products as a Measurement and Positioning System, a Offshore & Inshore Weapon Scoring System, and a Diver Detection Sonar.

Its achievements in the sale of such products as the Diver Detection Sonar, the Acoustic Detection and Monitoring System (ADMS), the Test Field, and the Wake Detector, as well as the export of its Underwater Phone, have provided KoçSavunma with a commercially sustainable structure.

Ecosystem Now Fully Established

Thanks to extensive efforts since day one, KoçSavunma has managed to create its own ecosystem. The company has established strong relationships with its partners and has achieved commercial success in all of its businesses through a win-win approach. Today, KoçSavunma is cooperating with a number of sectoral players from Turkey and abroad, including Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, Turkish Armed Forces Foundation (TAFF) companies, STM, and Meteksan Defence.

KoçSavunma’s role in the New Type Submarine Project with four different products in each submarine, as well as in main platform studies, such as the National Mine, the National Torpedo, and the National Submarine, is an important indicator of KoçSavunma’s capabilities.