DATUM
Datum was found in 2013 in order to design manned and unmanned mini submarines both for military and commercial use. In 2018, Istanbul Technical University became a shareholder to strengthen the company both strategically and financially.
Datum has an interdisciplinary engineering team of 16 engineers, consisting naval architects, mechanical engineers, electric-electronic engineers and industrial engineers, almost all of them are either PhD or Msc level. Datum’s (corporate) office and manufacturing facilities are located in the European side of Istanbul at the Istanbul Technical University Campus.
Datum is already eleven years old and a well-known company amongst Turkish Naval Industry. Although the main focus of Datum is mini submarine design and development, company took part in three projects with Presidency of Defence since 2014. Datum designed and built hydrodynamic testing systems in order to improve manoeuvrability and acoustic properties of new vessels built for Turkish and Pakistani navies including MILGEM and I Class Frigate. Also Datum designed the test system for the hydrodynamic improvement of Akya Torpedo of Roketsan and MILDEN Project of Turkish Navy.
Datum has an engineering project with Presidency of Defence Industries namely “Multipurpose Mini Submarine Development Project-as known with its Turkish synonym: ÇAMD – Çok Amaçlı Mini Denizaltı”. ÇAMD is a 12m mini submarine for two operators and two passengers. It can be carried by a cargo aircraft and standard truck thanks to its dimensions which are selected to fit in a standard shipping container.
Many firsts have already been achieved with the project. ÇAMD had became the first indigenous submarine project whose concept, critical and detail design was examined and accepted by Presidency of Defence. ÇAMD is also the first submarine project whose plan approval and systems certification phases completed by Turkish Lloyd. She is most likely be the first submarine project which will complete classification by Turkish Lloyd. Datum also has a contract with Turkish Lloyd for improving the submarine rules.
ÇAMD will be integrated with Aselsan’s sonar systems, Havelsan’s combat management systems and it will be able to deliver two lightweight torpedoes. Because it is a full electric and composite covered submarine, it is very silent and can sneak into enemy naval bases and get close to military activities without being detected.
With its academical background, Datum has comprehensive knowledge of the theory of naval vessels but its experience in the industry gives Datum a unique perspective. Datum knows the theory and how to apply it to solve problems of the customers. Datum being a highly motivated small company, it gives company the flexibility and unmatched speed in order to adapt to customer requirements. Datum is responsible solely to Presidency of Defence of Turkey and has no licence obligations for its designs to any other third parties. Also Datum can contribute to any kind of submarine project from small unmanned vessels to large military submarines as a designer, builder or advisor.
Datum’s ÇAMD Multi Purpose Mini Submarine, which is under construction now and planning to be ready for harbour tests in the first quarter of 2025. ÇAMD is a base model of a vast variety of manned and unmanned mini submarines including special operation combat swimmer delivery vehicles, unmanned submarines, submarine rescue vehicles and tourist submarines.