Hensoldt has received a €40m contract from Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik (STM) to upgrade vision equipment used by the Turkish Navy’s Preveze-class submarines.

Under this contract, Hensoldt will provide a total of eight SERO 400 periscopes.

The periscopes will be equipped with thermal imagers as add-on units. The contract will see two SERO 400 systems being combined for the first time.

The first Preveze-class vessel was commissioned on 28 July 1994. The remaining three Class 209 submarines were also commissioned in the 1990s.

STM is responsible for the upgrade programme. In February, Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) entered a contract with STM, Havelsan, Aselsan and Asfat for the mid-life upgrade of four Preveze-class submarines.



The modification is intended to enable new operational capabilities for the submarines.

Hensoldt Optronics Business Line Naval Systems head Klaus Rettenmaier said: “This is already our third project with STM. Collaboration with our Turkish partner has been very successful, not only in the case of the AY modernisation programme involving our SERO 250 for the Turkish Navy, but also regarding the Agosta upgrade.

“The decision to combine two SERO 400s was made in view of the commonality with the Turkish New Type Submarine Programme (NTSP).”

The German company is supplying a combination of the OMS 100 optronics mast system and the SERO 400 periscope for the Turkish Navy’s REIS-class submarines.

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Turkey is building a fleet of six new REIS-class Type 214 air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarines, which are planned to be commissioned between 2020 and 2025.

Hensoldt also provides special tooling and other equipment for the periscope workshop in Turkey.

In a statement, Hensoldt said: “This means that, as a result of the continued deployment of the SERO 400, synergies will arise not only in the area of operating and training, but also in maintenance.”