The "300th Vehicle Delivery Ceremony of the AFV Project", carried out by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB), was held at FNSS's Ankara Gölbaşı facility with the participation of representatives of the Ministry of National Defense, the Turkish Armed Forces and the defence sector.
In the program held with the participation of President of Defence Industries Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün, a presentation was made by Program Manager Kerem Kaplan on the PARS 4x4 and KAPLAN Armored Fighting Vehicles and Remote Controlled Anti-Tank Turrets, which were originally designed and produced by FNSS within the scope of the Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV) Project.
Commenting on the deliveries of the AFV Project, SSB President Prof. Dr. Haluk Görgün said the following in his statement:
"We are managing the procurement activities for a total of 344 AFV vehicles in three different configurations within the scope of our Armored Fighting Vehicles Project, which we started in 2016 in order to ensure the use of Kornet-E weapons in the inventory of our Land Forces Command and the OMTASs we procured within the scope of our Medium Range Anti-Tank Weapon Project. Within the scope of the first phase of the project, we completed the delivery of 260 vehicles to the relevant units in February 2022. After the 300th vehicle delivery we will make today, we plan to complete the delivery of the remaining vehicles by the end of October 2024 at the latest.
In line with our goals, we will continue our efforts to develop not only conventional warfare vehicles, but also new generation, technological vehicles that can meet different needs, under the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the architect of the Turkish Century, in the coming period."
In the opening speech of the program, FNSS General Manager and CEO Nail Kurt emphasized the importance of working with nearly 500 solution partners, especially Nurol Makina, Aselsan, Roketsan and SDT, as well as the meticulous work carried out at FNSS on the original design and production processes of the project. Kurt also pointed out that a significant accumulation has been achieved with a large number of domestic companies working on the design and production of vehicle electronics, mechanical subsystems and parts, and that a sustainable supply management cycle has been ensured by transferring this knowledge to other platforms designed by FNSS.
Within the scope of the AFV Project, for which FNSS deliveries and post-delivery logistics support activities are carried out, deliveries of PARS 4x4 and KAPLAN AFV vehicles, Kornet-E and Omtas Gun Turrets to the Land Forces Command continue, and KAPLAN Vehicles, which integrate the KMC-U turret system developed by Roketsan, stand out as Türkiye's national anti-tank system. The logistics support contract, which was implemented for the post-delivery needs of the vehicles, is also a first in this field.
AFV Vehicles
Designed specifically for use as an anti-tank platform, PARS 4x4 and KAPLAN combine the mobility and tactical maneuverability of an armored combat vehicle with superior protection capability and firepower with its agile and modular structure.
In addition to anti-tank features, the PARS 4x4 and KAPLAN provide flexibility and versatility to meet changing operational needs, with a modular design that can be adapted to various operational requirements such as fire support, reconnaissance, internal security missions and convoy protection.
The silhouettes and power-to-weight ratios of the vehicles, which are determined according to the conditions/threats of the combat environment, combined with advanced suspension systems, allow them to maneuver at high speeds in different terrains and all weather conditions.
Both platforms are amphibious. With this feature, it also offers the ability to cross watery openings such as rivers and streams quickly and effectively.
