Countdown for Delivery of the BORAN 105mm Air Transportable Light Towed Howitzer
The Boran 105mm Air Transportable Light Towed Howitzer Project, which was exhibited at the MKE booth at the Defense Industry Exhibition opened with the participation of 43 companies during the EFES-2022 Combined, Joint Live-Fire Field Exercise, is nearing the end. According to the information we have obtained, the qualification firing tests of the first batch of 7 BORAN Howitzers were successfully completed at the end of May 2022. Following the completion of the firing test evaluation studies, delivery is planned for approximately 150 more BORAN Howitzers as part of the Serial Production Phase.
Prominent Features of BORAN
Designed to support the Turkish Armed Forces` homeland security operations, air operations and commando brigades, the 105mm Air Transportable Howitzer can fire six rounds per minute at a range of 17 kilometers with M1 ammunition and 21 kilometers with long-range ammunition. The length of the domestically produced 105mm 30 caliber barrel is 800mm in closed position and 1,200mm in open position. BORAN has a towed speed of 60 kilometers per hour, traverse angle 8° left and right, and with an elevation angle from -3° to 70°. Used by a crew of 5, BORAN is equipped with INS, Muzzle Velocity Radar, Night Vision System, Battery, and Generator. BORAN, which takes position in less than 1 minute, has a total weight of 1,780 kilograms.
BORAN (with Fire Control System) can be carried by Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk Helicopters and a wide range of light vehicles.
PANTER Truck-Mounted Modernized Howitzer Project Overview
As part of the PANTER Truck-Mounted Modernized Howitzer Project, which was initiated in 2021 for the needs of the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) under ASFAT, the main contractor, three prototype vehicles will be produced in the first phase. Upon the successful completion of the qualification tests to be carried out with the PANTER Truck-Mounted Modernized Howitzer prototypes, an additional 37 vehicles will be delivered.
Within the scope of the project, ASELSAN will deliver the Fire Control System (FCS), Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE A.Ş.) will deliver the 155mm 52 caliber Weapon System to be used in PANTER Truck Mounted Modernized Howitzers, and BMC will deliver armored carrier vehicles in 8x8 configuration.
Having previously delivered a total of 41 Howitzers to TLFC in four batches (6+6+18+11) within the scope of the PANTER Towed Howitzer Project, MKE has made a series of improvements to the Weapon System as part of the PANTER Truck Mounted Modernized Howitzer Project. Within this framework, the Weapon System, which weighs nearly 4.5 tons, has been provided with 4-axis electric movement capability (right, left, up, down) and the manual control has been altered to hydraulic drive. In this way, the Weapon System has gained remote command capability.
The PANTER Towed Howitzer Weapon System, thanks to its semi-automatic ammunition loading system, can fire 4 rounds per minute at a range of 40 km. The PANTER Truck Mounted Modernized Howitzer Systems will use the T-155 PANTER Towed Howitzer Weapon Systems (guns) that are currently in the inventory, and according to the information we have obtained, 4 Weapon Systems have already been maintained and made ready for use. 3 of these will be mounted on prototype vehicles.
The Truck Mounted Howitzer System solution called YAVUZ, which was designed for a 6x6 Tactical Wheeled Vehicle, was previously subjected to firing tests by MKE in Konya, Karapınar in April 2017, and then was exhibited at IDEF `17.
MKE has also been working on 155mm ammunition with increased range to be used in FIRTINA Self-Propelled Howitzers and PANTER Towed Howitzers, which are critical fire support elements of the Turkish Armed Forces. In this regard, the range of the MOD 274 HE ammunition, currently with base bleed unit is aimed to be increased from 40 km+ to 56 km in the first stage and then to 72 kilometers with GPS/INS guided ammunition. By the end of 2022, it is planned to achieve the target of 56 km range.
Date: Issue 115 - August 2022
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