IDEF 2015: Turkish vehicle competitions near conclusion

Turkey's Anti-Tank Vehicle competition was one of the main focuses of the IDEF 2015 defence exhibition in Istanbul, with final bids from suppliers expected to be delivered before the end of May, various sources told IHS Jane's .

Also known as the weapons carrier programme, the Turkish Land Forces' programme is for 260 vehicles, 184 tracked and 76 wheeled vehicles. Both vehicle types are planned to be fitted with a remote-controlled turret (RCT) armed with the Roketsam OMTAS anti-tank guided missile (ATGM).

Turkish land systems firms FNSS and Otokar are going head-to-head in the competition, with both firms unveiling new vehicles for the programme at IDEF 2015.

Competing for the tracked component are Otokar's Tulpar-S weapons carrying vehicle, unveiled for the first time at IDEF 2015, and a modified version of the FNSS Kaplan vehicle unveiled at the 2013 edition of IDEF, but not present at IDEF 2015 as the company wanted to keep its offering confidential so close to the deadline for bids.

FNSS did unveil its Pars 4x4 vehicle at IDEF 2015 for the wheeled weapons carrying requirement, while Otokar will be offering a modified version of its Cobra II 4x4, which was unveiled at IDEF 2013.

Otokar unveiled its Tulpar-S tracked vehicle at IDEF 2015 for the Turkish tracked weapons carrier programme. It will face competition from a modified version of FNSS's Kaplan-10 design. (Nick de Larrinaga)

Otokar unveiled its Tulpar-S tracked vehicle at IDEF 2015 for the Turkish tracked weapons carrier programme. It will face competition from a modified version of FNSS's Kaplan-10 design. (Nick de Larrinaga)

Speaking to IHS Jane's at IDEF, representatives from both companies said that they would be delivering their final bids to the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) before the end of May. The downselection of one of the bids is expected before the end of the year, the companies added.

Both are also competing for Turkey's Special Purpose Tactical Wheeled Armoured Vehicle programme, which aims to buy 472 wheeled vehicles. In total the requirement calls for 121 command vehicles, 217 sensor/reconnaissance vehicles, 74 radar vehicles, and 60 chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance vehicles. For this requirement Otokar displayed a CBRN variant of its Arma 8x8 vehicle for the first time at IDEF 2014. FNSS will offer its Pars 8x8 as the base platform for the various versions.

IHS Jane's understands that the deadline for the companies to submit final bids has been extended until July for this project to incorporate all for changes to the requirements and to include some options for different mission systems.
This article comes from IHS Jane's 360 edit released