News Digest, September 2015

Contents
Turkey to upgrade armoured vehicles following mine deaths
FNSS completes Saber 25mm turret testing
Turkey reshuffles armed forces command

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Armoured Vehicles Turkey 2015

Turkey to
upgrade
armoured
vehicles
following mine
deaths
Following a security meeting between the
government, armed forces, and Chief of
Staff Hulusi Akar, Turkey has decided to
upgrade its fleets of armoured vehicles.

The decision was taken after a landmine

attack in Turkeys south-eastern Siirt
Province on August 19. The attack was
carried out by the Kurdistan Workers Party
(PKK) on a Cobra light armoured vehicle,
and caused the deaths of the eight soldiers
inside.
The Cobra, produced by Turkish armoured
vehicle firm Otokar, is widely used by the
Turkish Army in transporting personnel
through hostile territory, and can shield
passengers against small arms fire and
artillery shrapnel. Upgrades are expected to
improve its resistance to mines and
Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).
Furthermore, the number of MineResistant, Ambush Protected (MRAP)
vehicles is to be increased. The TSK has
received 614 Kirpi MRAPs from BMC
Otomotiv, fulfilling the order made in 2009
despite delays, and the craft is expected to

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be increasingly favoured over the Cobra for

personnel transportation.
The Kirpi boasts a 375 PS engine, 10 to 15
passenger capacity, and protection against
mine, ballistic and IED threats. BMC has
previously exported the vehicle to Tunisia.
Turkey is also likely to procure a new
jammer, for either the Cobra, Kirpi, or both.
The past several weeks have seen Turkey
increasingly involved in conflict on its
Middle Eastern frontiers. The country
recently joined the US-led fight against ISIL,
taking measures such as bombing various
ISIL targets and rounding up sympathisers
in raids across the country.
Turkey has also begun allowing the US and
its allies the use of bases such as Incirlik in
southern Turkey, for airstrikes against
enemy targets in Syria.
More aggressive, however, has been Turkish
President Erdogans campaign of airstrikes
against the PKK, despite Kurdish fighters
making notably useful allies for the US in
the fight against ISIL.

In either case, Ankara is well-equipped to

move forward with its national security
interests. The country produces a wide
range of armoured vehicles and other
military products, and the defence industry
in Turkey is enjoying mounting successes,
with $11 billion worth of sales estimated to
have taken place in 2014.
Though Turkey has typically imported
armoured vehicles and related equipment
from countries including South Korea,
Germany and the US, it is now working
towards building up its indigenous defence
industry. To do this, the country will need to
further invest in modernising its armed
forces , including the essential purchase of
additional armoured vehicles.

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FNSS completes Saber

25mm turret testing

FNSS has successfully completed the firing

qualification tests of its new SABER 25mm
One Man Turret on its PARS 8x8 Infantry
Fighting Vehicle.
Saber is a new generation one-man turret
that can be deployed on wheeled and
tracked armoured vehicles. It has a 25mm
automatic cannon and 7.62mm machine
gun.
The design phase began in November 2013
with the support of TUBTAK (The
Scientific and Technological Research

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D E F E N C E I Q

Council of Turkey) and the qualification and

the firing tests was completed in June after
finishing the prototype production.
The long range firing tests of the Saber
Turret mounted on FNSS Pars 8 x 8 vehicle
were conducted in the Ministry of Defences
firing test field in Konya Karapnar District.
During the tests, static and moving firing
was conducted to the targets located at a
range of 600 m to 1500 m. The targets were
hit with high hit rate and all tests were
completed successfully.

(www.smh.com/au)

Turkey reshuffles
armed forces
command

Olivier Villa, Senior VP Civil Aircraft, Dassault Aviation (left) and Mr Libing
Li, director of Hospital, Beijing Red Cross Emergency Center. (Dassault)

Turkey has appointed Gen. Hulusi Akar as

the new chief of general staff, promoting
him from commanding officer of the
Turkish land Forces.

of the Turkish Air Forces, Gen. Akn ztrk,

is now a member of the YA.

In other appointments, Ege Army

commander Gen. Galip Mendi now leads
Uncommonly for military appointments, the the Gendarmerie General Command (JGK),
Supreme Military Council (YA) decree was while War Colleges commander Gen.
approved by the Office of the President
Abdullah Recep has been promoted to the
rather than the Prime Minister.
post of commander of the Ege Army.
[Todayszaman]
Gen. Akar has replaced Necdet zel, who
left office in mid-August. The new chief of
Armoured Vehicles Turkey, organised in
staff will serve until August 2019.
collaboration with SaSaD, Defence &
Aerospace Industry Manufacturers
Gen. Salih Zeki olak, has been promoted to Association, will bring together the highest
take charge of the Turkish Land Forces,
military officials and important industry
while the term of the head of the Turkish
bodies in the region. Find out more at
Sea Forces, Adm. Blent Bostanolu, has
www.armouredvehiclesturkey.com.
been extended for a year. In addition, the
former commander of the Combatant Air
Force and Missile Defense Command, Gen.
Abidin nal, has been promoted to head the
Turkish Air Forces, while the current head

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Defence IQ will be returning to Turkey this October

for our second Armoured Vehicles Turkey event
forming part of our Armoured Vehicle conference
series.
A nation that sits as the gateway between East and
West, the Turkish defence industry is emerging as a
major hub for military equipment and support; the
next decade will be a period of high growth for the
country.
Turkey is aiming to achieve independence from
imported equipment by 2023, so we will see
continued investments into modernising Turkish
capability and the acquisition of new armoured
fleets. The conference will therefore outline Turkeys
plans and requirements during this transition,
looking closely at their capability development,
modern warfare techniques and high-tech military
equipment.
Armoured Vehicles Turkey 2015 will be crucial for
detailing prospects for external industries and
services on how to engage with this market. This
conference is designed to provide unique
networking and learning opportunities for the
armoured community as we welcome military

www.armouredvehiclesturkey.com

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services and industry experts to the region.

This years event will be in association with SaSaD,
Defence & Aerospace Industry Manufacturers
Association. With SaSaDs formal support they will
be acting as our official local partner, promoting the
event to their members and ensuring synergy is
established with domestic and international
partners.
What are the benefits of attending Armoured
Vehicles Turkey 2015?

Gain access to the largest armoured vehicle

community
Unrivalled access to Turkish industry,
government bodies and military services meet
with the key decision makers, policy influencers,
budget holders and technological experts
An opportunity to strike new partnerships and
enhance existing relations within the community
Understand how the Turkish market will develop
in the forthcoming years
Consider and share current experiences and
future plans of international fleet programmes,
applying lessons learned to develop your own
projects

In association with SaSaD acting

as our official local partner,
Armoured Vehicles Turkey 2015
will be crucial for detailing
prospects for external industries
and services on how to engage
with this market. Visit the website to
find out more.

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