Displaying its wide range of solutions, FNSS will exhibit the KAPLAN 10 Anti-Tank Vehicle (ATV), KAPLAN MT PULAT, Marine Assault Vehicle (MAV), PARS III 8x8 Combat Engineering Vehicle, AV-8 CBRN vehicle, Anti-Tank Remotely Controlled Turret (ARCT) and the Armored Remote Weapon System (ARWS) solutions for the first time at this event. Additionally, the Award Ceremony for the 3rd MILDESIGN International Military Land Vehicles Design Competition will take place during IDEF’19.

The globally recognized land systems company FNSS specializes in designing and producing wheeled and tracked Armored combat vehicles as well as combat engineering vehicles, turrets and sustainability solutions. As the solution provider of choice for users in various countries, the Company has delivered more than 4000 Armored combat vehicles so far, worldwide. Thanks to its competent and dynamic workforce, the Company has continuously improved its vehicle design and production capabilities in line with the requirements of its users. 

FNSS designs and develops customized solutions to meet the requirements of each user. The key to FNSS’ success in delivering tailored products within requested time frames lies in its flexible approach to project management. This is complemented by its ability to orchestrate an extensive supply chain and a wide range of global partnerships.

FNSS products have been tested in stringent conditions and have proven themselves in combat missions. FNSS views user satisfaction as a permanent concept, addressing new needs that may emerge throughout the product`s lifecycle and offers sustainability solutions that extends throughout the overall lifecycle. Building upon its 30-year heritage in the defence industry, FNSS continues to add value to its users by creating innovative solutions.

Celebrating the company’s 30th anniversary, K. Nail KURT, General Manager & CEO of FNSS made a statement about FNSS’s achievements so far. “This year, we celebrate our 30th Anniversary as ‘A World Renowned and Respected Turkish Defence Company’. Since 1989, from the moment that the contract for our initial program became effective for the production of Armored Combat Vehicles (ACV), we have come a very long way. Successfully completing major local and export programs, in addition to attaining the status of being a “globally trusted and respected Turkish partner in defence”, looking back at what we have accomplished in those 30 years, and starting with the production of ACV’s, we see FNSS evolving into a global company designing, developing and delivering solutions like the innovative KAPLAN Family of vehicles which transformed the Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) Class into the 21st Century; the PARS Family of vehicles which has become a standard of reference for tactical wheeled armored vehicles, and highly specialized platforms like the Marine Assault Vehicle (MAV). Overall, we have delivered over 4,000 combat platforms from our extensive family of products, ranging from the 15t class of tracked armored vehicles to the medium weight class tank and 4x4 and 8x8 tactical wheeled armored vehicles. We continue to support each and every one with the same care. Today our products are making a name for themselves as solutions whose performance surpass the requirements of extensive user acceptance tests and are actively proving themselves in combat.”

Emphasizing the solution-oriented activities of FNSS as a supplier, Mr. KURT shared the following: “A further pre-condition of a trustworthy land systems supplier for our users is meeting their requirements with creative and innovative solutions. Looking back at 30 Years of FNSS, we have deservedly accomplished this aspect as well. In all areas of our activity; be it our tracked or wheeled armored combat and engineering vehicles or modernization programs and turret systems, we provide leading edge, competitive, trustworthy and flexible solutions. In the international arena, with major competitions, which include comparative testing, winning up against world-renowned manufacturers is a strong indicator of the quality of the solutions we present. Today, in all the areas we participate in, we aim to be able to present potential users with the best solution range; and to see us succeeding brings great pride to all of our FNSS employees.”

Addressing FNSS’ commitment to design innovative and future-proof products, Mr. KURT shared information about the new platforms of the company. “IDEF holds a very special place among those organizations. As FNSS, we will realize our largest participation and showcase our widest range of products at IDEF. Starting in 1993, we have been a part of every IDEF show to date. IDEF ‘19 will now be a reflection of 30 Years of Success and will show the world at large that we are ready for the next 30 years.”

At IDEF ‘19 FNSS will exhibit a series of vehicles and systems for the first time:

Marine Assault Vehicle (MAV) Makes First Appearance at IDEF’19

IDEF’19 will witness the unveiling of the MAV Marine Assault Vehicle, which has been greatly anticipated by the sector due to limited number of comparable vehicles in the same class, principally because of the challenging requirements and highly specialized mission definition associated with these vehicles. Visitors to the FNSS stand will have opportunity to see the first prototype MAV, whose main role is to support the combat capabilities of marine forces in line with the requirements of the 21st century combat environments.

The MAV is being developed as part of the Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicles (ZAHA) Project being conducted by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) to cater for the requirements of the Turkish Naval Forces Command. Within the project, FNSS will deliver a total of 27 vehicles, including 23 personnel carriers, two command and control vehicles and two recovery vehicles.

In addition to enabling the safe landing of units during amphibious operations, the Armored amphibious assault vehicles also serve as Armored personnel carriers after reaching the shore. During the amphibious assault phase of an operation, these vehicles are launched from the Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) and rapidly cover the distance between the vessel and shore, allowing forces to land under protection and with minimum delay. Once on land, these vehicles can continue taking part in operations side-by-side with other Armored vehicles. As vehicles with a dual role due to their mission requirements, Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicles need to exhibit superior performance both at sea and on land, and only a few countries around the world have such vehicles in their inventories. Among the NATO countries and allies, there is only one company other than FNSS producing vehicles of this class.

Compared to similar examples, the MAV is expected to have superior features such as, number of personnel transported by the vehicle, level of ballistic and mine protection, and performance criteria on land and in water. With ZAHA, FNSS takes Armored amphibious assault vehicles into the 21st century, and the project has now reached the Critical Design Review phase. Venturing outside classical approaches within defence projects, FNSS has completed its evaluation of the vehicle’s design not only on paper, but also in the prototype, for this review. The review will be on executed on the prototype vehicle in the integration hall.

KAPLAN MT Adapts to Emerging Threats with PULAT Integration

Currently, under development by FNSS and the Indonesian company PT Pindad within the scope of a joint project, the KAPLAN MT Modern Medium Weight Tank will be equipped with Aselsan’s PULAT Active Protection System against increasing threats to tanks in the battlefield. The PULAT-integrated KAPLAN MT will be exhibited at IDEF’19 for the first time. 

In today’s battlefields, the threats faced by the tanks are increasing every day. Especially in urban operations, the diversification of the new weapons and the implementation of new tactics make active protection systems a necessity. The KAPLAN MT, which has the highest level of ballistic and mine protection in its class, is ready to face these emerging threats with PULAT integration. 

Developed by Aselsan and TÜBİTAK SAGE, PULAT stands out as the preferred solution of the Turkish Armed Forces for M60T tanks. PULAT detects the anti-tank missiles or rockets approaching to the platform with its high technology radar, and then disables them at optimum range from the platform by using the Hard-Kill method. PULAT provides 360 degrees full protection, depending on the placement of the modules on the platform, against anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM) and rockets. When the system is activated, it works autonomously without any user input. During data collection and system performance tests, PULAT has been fired hundreds of times and completed the tests successfully.

Tank Hunter of the Future: KAPLAN ATV

The prototype of the KAPLAN Anit-Tank Vehicle (ATV), developed by FNSS to meet the demanding requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces, will be exhibited at IDEF’19. The vehicle has successfully completed KORNET and OMTAS missiles tests fires with the FNSS designed Anti-Tank Remotely Controlled Turret (ARCT).

KAPLAN STA, which was developed within the Anti-Tank Vehicle (AV) project carried out by the Presidency of Defence Industries, is the smallest member of the new generation FNSS KAPLAN armored combat vehicle family. The vehicle performs all kinds of missions by integrating different subsystems and can move together with main battle tanks considering its automatic transmission. The vehicle has a low silhouette, and with its twin 5-road wheeled tracks, can operate in hot/cold weather conditions at high speed not only on asphalt and stabilized highways, but also soft soil, and rough terrain. The advanced suspension track system is designed to reduce vibrations and improve road holding. 

The KAPLAN ATV is one of the very few vehicles to have amphibious characteristics. Thanks to the two water propulsion systems located at the rear of the vehicle, KAPLAN-10 can perform in deep and fast flowing waters. In addition to this, the driver is able to enter the water without prior preparation. The hull of the KAPLAN ATV is manufactured and integrated using a ballistic welding technique. The hull is water resistant, together with the hatches, and the lids are water-proofed via seals. While the power pack cabin and the expanded driver area is located at the front of the vehicle, the gunner and the commander areas are located in the middle of the vehicle. The rear part includes the gunner’s aid and additional crew sections.

In addition, the KAPLAN ATV has fitted with Anti-Tank Remotely Controlled Turret (ARCT) which is developed to have modern firing and command control capabilities. The turret is armed with ready-to-fire anti-tank missiles, as well as a coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun. With the completion of the qualification tests of the KAPLAN ATV, all deliveries within the ATV project are planned to be completed in 2021.

AV-8 AENBCRV (CBRN Reconnaissance) Prepares to Enter Inventory in Malaysia

The AENBCRV (Armored Engineer Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Reconnaissance Vehicle) version of the AV-8 Tactical Wheeled Armored Vehicle family developed by FNSS and its partner, DRB Hicom Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd. (DEFTECH) for the Malaysian Army, prepares to enter inventory in the first half of this year. The AV-8 AENBCRV, which has passed all tests successfully, has reached the end of the “Endurance Tests” phase, which is the second and final stage of the qualification tests. 

The AV-8 AENBCRV is equipped with advanced systems and equipment to detect and identify any outside chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear threats. By analyzing the hazard area, the vehicle will alert its user and other friendly military and civilian elements in the field to the relevant threats, ensuring the necessary protection measures are taken. 

The “First Vehicle Development Process” consisting of concept design, detail design, manufacturing, and assembly activities of the AV-8 AENBCRV configuration, which has a complex and modern system architecture with special equipment, was carried out by FNSS. The first phase of the qualification tests, the Land Performance Tests and CBRN System Tests, which demonstrate that the vehicle meets the user-defined requirements fully and completely, was carried out at FNSS’ facilities in Ankara. The endurance tests, which are the second stage of the qualification process, started in Malaysia as of February 2019. Following the successful completion of all tests, acceptance of the first vehicle and delivery to the end user will be realized in Malaysia in the coming days. 

Within the project, 4 AENBCRV vehicles will be delivered. The first of these will be the vehicle that completes the qualification tests. The remaining 3 vehicles will be produced by FNSS and delivered to the user by 2020. 

The AV-8 AENBCRV is the first 8x8 CBRN vehicle developed by FNSS. The CBRN system, which is the primary mission equipment of the vehicle, was supplied from various domestic and foreign companies according to user preferences and joint integration solutions were provided by the Environics company in Finland. By carrying out localization activities for some subsystems of the CBRN system, FNSS also contributed to the capabilities of local subcontractors.

FNSS Expands PARS III 8x8 Configurations with Combat Engineering Vehicle

FNSS demonstrates the modularity of the PARS III 8x8 in adapting to different missions with the armored combat engineering vehicle configuration developed for the Royal Army of Oman. The ongoing qualification tests of the PARS III 8x8 Combat Engineering Vehicle are expected to be completed in the first half of this year and the vehicle is planned to enter the inventory.

The PARS III 8x8 CEV is the first 8x8 combat engineering vehicle developed by FNSS to conduct mine clearing and obstacle construction/breaching missions. The vehicle can perform various tasks effectively thanks to its multiple types of quickly attachable and detachable equipment. For the primary mission equipment of the vehicle, FNSS works with the well-renowned Pearson company, which provides field-proven solutions preferred by many countries.

The contract signed by FNSS to meet the needs of the Royal Army of Oman includes the design, development, production, and delivery of 172 vehicles in 13 different configurations as well as the integrated logistic support (ILS) services to be offered during the warranty period. FNSS will deliver 145 PARS III 8x8 vehicles in 8 different configurations and 27 PARS III 6x6 vehicles in 5 different configurations. The number of PARS III 8x8 combat engineering vehicles to be delivered is 6.

FNSS Presents Shadow Cavalry Solution to Turkish Armed Forces

In parallel with the importance of unmanned land vehicles applications in our country and internationally, FNSS exhibits the Shadow Cavalry concept at IDEF 2019. The Shadow Cavalry, which can be applied to all types of land platforms, will be introduced to the visitors with the M113 vehicle in IDEF’19.

The Shadow Cavalry concept that FNSS provides: Flexible solutions with integrated modular units, Manned and unmanned usability, Alternative communication and remote-control over varying distances, Internal and external day/night low-latency video transmission, Multi-layered secure data transmission and Applicability to all vehicles in the inventory.

With the Shadow Cavalry concept, FNSS aims to bring remote-control capability to all kinds of land platforms without sacrificing the manned driving option. The Shadow Cavalry concept is expected to perform critical missions such as logistical support, obstacle clearing, minefield breaching, and close fire support in the operation zones. As a highly successful production of the main industry and SME partnership, the Shadow Cavalry is intended to be an integrated part of all land platforms built by FNSS in the years to come.

ARWS Brings Ballistic Protection to Remote Controlled Weapon Systems

FNSS will exhibit the Remote-Controlled Weapon System ARWS (Armored Remote Weapon System), one of the best in its class with its technical features and ballistic protection, for the first time in IDEF ‘19. The qualification process was successfully completed in December 2018 and mass production of the ARWS system has started. 

Remote-controlled weapon systems are fielded extensively by the armed forces around the world because they provide personnel safety thanks to their unmanned nature and significantly increase the hit rate with the firing control system. Especially the operations in urban areas show that having ballistic protection is a critical necessity for these systems. Because these systems can be targeted by enemy fire or damaged by the debris and fragments in conflict zones and become unable to perform their functions. On the other hand, ARWS can continue their missions with high-reliability thanks to NATO STANAG 4569 Level 2 ballistic protection.

The ARWS system can be equipped with a M2 12,7 mm/.50 caliber machine gun, Mk19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, M240 7,62 mm machine gun or FN MAG58 7,62 mm machine gun. ARWS can carry 300 12,7 mm bullets, 750 7,62 mm bullets, or 64 40 mm grenades. The system can be integrated into different types of vehicles, from 4x4 vehicles to main battle tanks.

PARS 4x4 Anti-Tank Vehicle Sets the New Standards of its Class

Developed by FNSS to meet the needs of the Turkish Land Forces Command, the PARS 4x4 Anti-Tank Vehicle (ATV) sets the new standards of its class with its unique features. The prototype of the vehicle, which is in the final phase of the qualification process, will be displayed at IDEF’19.

The PARS 4x4 ATV has been devised as a vehicle that offers both speed and high maneuverability under all terrain conditions, with enough firepower to destroy enemy tanks and other armored units from a distance, and with the ability to engage second targets following a rapid change of position. Drawing upon its vast experience and innovative approach, FNSS has come up with a very special amphibious vehicle that is capable of meeting these challenging requirements simultaneously.

Most noteworthy among the PARS 4x4 ATV’s features is the positioning of its power pack at the rear of the vehicle. With the placement of cooling grate and exhaust on the upper body, this positioning allows the vehicle to go amphibious without prior preparation, thus granting it the best amphibious capabilities in its class and further allows the PARS 4x4 to maneuver at higher speeds. All these features, which can only be expected from a vehicle with a rear-positioned power pack, grants the PARS 4x4 with critical capabilities in moving away rapidly after launching an attack.

The first prototype of the PARS ATV, which is the wheeled anti-tank system in the ATV project, began verification tests in May, and will soon commence qualification tests in line with the project schedule. 

FNSS Continues to Support Users of 30 Years with Integrated Logistic Support Solutions 

FNSS responds to the needs of numerous land platform users worldwide, making a difference not only with the superior survivability, mobility and firepower of its vehicles, but also the integrated logistic support (ILS) solutions it offers to its users. For 30 years, the company has been providing uninterrupted support for all of its vehicles, including the very first ones delivered years ago. 

FNSS’ customers include armed and security forces of nations with the highest standards and greatest expectations, and the company follows the world’s leading standards and practices in its ILS works. The company reflects its 30 years of experience on its ILS activities, which include a very wide range of solutions such as working together with local partners, supporting the vehicles directly during operations, establishing local offices, and Government Owned Company Operated (GOCO) model. 

FNSS’ ILS-related works address the entire product life cycle of vehicles, starting from the very beginning of the product development phase, and providing continuous support until the decommissioning stage of the vehicles. ILS activities also cover the provision of spare parts, technical support and technical documentation updates performed both during and after the warranty period, as well as optional user training and maintenance training programs. 

Mr. KURT concluded his remarks by stating their confidence in the future. “When our first ever vehicle left the production line in 1991, we had visionary employees who predicted that at its 30th Anniversary, FNSS would become a global player. With everything we do, we move forward by continuously taking the human element into account. Today, with a workforce of close to 1,000 competent and dynamic employees, we deliver innovative solutions throughout the entire product lifecycle, from design to support. Already at the Alpha Leadership Academy, which recently became operational, we have started training the leaders of tomorrow, who will be carrying the legacy of the past 30 Years into the next 30.

FNSS has always been in the service of those protecting the homeland and will keep on doing so into the next 30 Years.”