FNSS to deliver PARS and Kaplan anti-tank armored vehicles to Turkish Army.

According to news published on the Daily Sabah website, on December 25, 2019, the Turkish Company FNSS has officially delivered two new anti-tank armored vehicles to the Turkish Armed Forces including the PARS a wheeled armored vehicle and the Kaplan a tracked armored vehicle.

The official ceremony for the delivery of PARS and Kaplan anti-tank armored vehicles to the Turkish Army by the Company FNSS. (Picture source SABAH)

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) have taken the delivery of two armored vehicles, Kaplan and PARS, during an official ceremony that was held at FNSS Defense Systems’ facility in the Gölbaşı district, Ankara, on Wednesday, December 25, 2019.

In June 2016, The Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) has awarded the Turkish Company FNSS Defense Systems a contract for the delivery of 260 armored vehicles including 76 Pars 4×4 and 184 Kaplan tracked armored ATVS (Anti-Tank Vehicles). Along with the vehicles, 64 anti-tank missiles Kornet E turrets and 196 medium-range anti-tank weapon systems, UMTAS turrets will enter into service with the Turkish Armed Forces.

The UMTAS (Uzun Menzilli Tanksavar Sistemi) is a long-range, anti-tank missile system designed by the Turkish Company Rketsan. The UMTAS is an anti-tank guided missile that has a length of 1.8 m and a diameter of 160 mm and weighs 37.5 kg.

The missile has the ability to operate in both fire-and-forget and fire-and-update operation modes. The fire-and-forget mode enables the weapon to travel on its own path after illumination of the target. The noose of the missile is equipped with imaging infrared (IIR) seeker or laser seeker providing high-target accuracy.

Powered by an HTPB-based smokeless composite solid propellant, the UMTAS anti-tank missile has an effective firing range between 0.5 km to 8 km.

The Kornet E is an anti-tank guided missile system developed in Russia by the Company KBP Instrument Design Making Bureau. It is a third-generation of surface-to-surface missile system able to destroy modern main battle tanks including those fitted with explosive reactive armor (ERA).

The Kornet E anti-tank missile can penetrate 1,200 mm of armor with a maximum firing range of 5 km.

PARS 4x4 wheeled anti-tank armored vehicle at IDEF defense exhibition in Istanbul, May 2017. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The anti-tank version of PARS 4x4 was unveiled to the public by the Company FNSS during IDEF the International Defense Exhibition that was held in Istanbul, May 2019. The PARS 4x4 is the latest member of the PARS family of wheeled armored vehicles that was unveiled in May 2015. The design of the PARS is very similar to the German Fennek but with a higher hull.

The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle with an excellent 180° vision to his front via three large bulletproof windows. The rear position of the power pack also confers the driver’s position a wide field of view. Moreover, the vehicle also possesses additional camera systems for forwarding and rear views. There is one single door on each side of the hull. For the anti-tank version, the weapon system is mounted on a turret located at the front roof of the vehicle which is armed with two ready to fire launchers for Kornet or OMTAS anti-tank guided missiles.

The PARS is protected against ballistic and mine threats. The vehicle is motorized with a Diesel engine coupled to a fully-automatic transmission. It can run at a maximum road speed of 120 km with a maximum cruising range of 700 km. The vehicle is fully amphibious and propelled in the water by two water jets located at the rear of the hull at a maximum speed of 8 km/h.

Kaplan tracked anti-tank armored vehicle at IDEF defense exhibition in Istanbul, May 2019. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The Kaplan is a tracked armored vehicle also designed and developed by the Turkish Company FNSS. The KAPLAN is a new generation of armored fighting vehicle that has the ability to move together with main battle tanks, and has a 23 Hp/ton power-to-weight ratio, taking into account the weight of the communication system and the automatic transmission.

The Kaplan offer high level of protection against ballistic and mine threats including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), kinetic energy ammunition and rocket-propelled grenades.

The Kaplan ATVS has been developed specifically to be used anti-tank armored vehicle and has successfully completed firing tests performed using KORNET and OMTAS anti-tank guided missiles launched from the FNSS’ Anti-Tank Remote Controlled Turret (ARCT). In addition to the ready-to-fire missiles, the turret is also fitted with a 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun.

The Kaplan is motorized with a diesel engine coupled to a fully-automatic transmission system. It can run at a maximum road speed of 70 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 650 km. The vehicle is fully amphibious without any preparation and propelled in the water thanks to two rear-mounted water propulsion systems.