North Macedonia becomes first European country to deploy Turkish-made Boran 105mm towed howitzers.

As reported by the Turkish Ministry of Defense (MoD) on June 19, 2025, North Macedonia has officially received its first Turkish-made 105 mm Boran lightweight towed howitzers, becoming the first European country to acquire this artillery system developed by the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE). The delivery took place on June 6, 2025, under a contract signed on December 21, 2022, with the Turkish MoD. The agreement covers a total of 18 Boran howitzers and associated ammunition, divided into three batteries. The first batch, consisting of six units, has been delivered, while the remaining two batteries are scheduled for delivery between 2029 and 2031.
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The acquisition forms part of a broader rearmament program initiated by North Macedonia following its accession to NATO in March 2020, with the goal of replacing obsolete artillery systems previously acquired, including those received from Ukraine in 2001. (Picture source: Turkish MoD)

The Boran is a lightweight 105 mm towed howitzer developed by the Turkish company MKE and integrated with a fire control and navigation suite produced by Aselsan. It entered service with the Turkish Land Forces in 2021 after completing 24 qualification tests in accordance with international standards. The howitzer has a 30-caliber barrel and a total system weight of 1,745 kg, including the fire control components. It is designed for helicopter transport and can be airlifted by Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, as well as by other heavy-lift platforms. The howitzer can be deployed and made ready to fire in under one minute, enabling rapid positioning and withdrawal, which is considered advantageous for operations in mountainous or hard-to-reach areas. Boran is operated by a crew of five and was designed to meet operational requirements from commando and airborne units in internal security and air-supported missions.

The Boran howitzer is equipped with the Aselsan-developed Volkan 230/105 fire control system, featuring a direct-fire sight, inertial navigation system (INS), muzzle velocity radar, and laser rangefinder. These subsystems enable the howitzer to conduct precise fire missions during both day and night, without the need for traditional emplacement procedures. The howitzer supports firing six rounds per minute and has a maximum firing range of 17 km using conventional high-explosive projectiles. With extended-range ammunition, its reach can exceed 21 km. The system’s fire control and navigation integration allow targeting to be computed onboard and enable rapid adaptation to changing tactical conditions. The gun can engage targets across an elevation angle from –3° to +70° and a traverse of 8° left and right. Its design permits firing from the wheels, reducing preparation time and improving mobility under combat conditions.

The acquisition forms part of a broader rearmament program initiated by North Macedonia following its accession to NATO in March 2020, with the goal of replacing obsolete artillery systems previously acquired, including those received from Ukraine in 2001. This effort is accompanied by the procurement of U.S. Stryker and JLTV armored vehicles for the infantry, and the future integration of the French Mistral 3 air defense system. North Macedonia still fields 14 Yugoslav M-56 105 mm howitzers, 36 American M2A1/M101 howitzers, and more than 100 Soviet 122 mm M-30 howitzers. The M-56 weighs between 2,100 and 2,370 kg and typically requires a crew of seven. The M101 has a comparable weight of approximately 2,260 kg and also operates with larger crews. Both systems, like the M-30, rely on manual fire control and require longer emplacement times. The M-30, while lighter than the others at around 1,500 kg, lacks any form of modern targeting or navigation aids and is limited in its deployment flexibility. The Boran’s integrated systems reduce crew workload, accelerate deployment, and provide compatibility with digital command-and-control systems, which aligns with NATO standards for artillery interoperability.

The Boran’s capacity to operate in a wide temperature range, from –32 °C to +44 °C, and to sustain fire missions continuously for up to eight hours contributes to its suitability for prolonged operations. Its configuration with modern targeting tools allows for reduced human error and increased probability of first-round effectiveness. Unlike its older counterparts, it does not depend on manual sighting methods or fixed positions and can reposition rapidly to reduce exposure to counter-battery fire. These operational characteristics support its deployment in fast-paced or terrain-restricted environments. Boran was developed with input from Turkish Armed Forces requirements, particularly for commando and airmobile units operating in variable weather and terrain conditions. The system’s design prioritizes ease of transport, rapid action, and compatibility with modern battlefield management systems.

The contract with North Macedonia follows the first international sale of the Boran to Bangladesh, where 18 units were delivered. With the North Macedonian deal, Türkiye has completed its first howitzer export to a European country. Prior to this, MKE announced that it had signed a serial production agreement with the Turkish Land Forces for 114 additional units and that discussions are ongoing with five other countries for potential exports. The Boran is manufactured at MKE’s Çankırı Weapon Factory and includes components fully developed within Türkiye’s domestic industrial base. Its development was supported by the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), and MKE served as the main contractor, with Aselsan contributing the fire control and electronics subsystems. The project originated with the aim of replacing imported howitzers, which previously weighed around 2,300 kg, with a lighter and domestically designed alternative weighing 1,745 to 1,780 kg, depending on configuration.

The North Macedonian Army’s decision to acquire the Boran system marks a transition to newer artillery platforms that incorporate digital systems and modular components. The howitzer’s design emphasizes air mobility, autonomous fire control, reduced setup time, and environmental resistance, enabling more flexible use by NATO-standard forces. Its introduction into the North Macedonian Army’s inventory reflects the country’s broader efforts to achieve interoperability and technological parity with other NATO members. As a result of this transaction, military cooperation between North Macedonia and Türkiye has expanded in scope. The Boran’s export success is recorded as a milestone for the Turkish defense industry, representing the second foreign sale of the system and the first confirmed artillery export by Türkiye to a European state.