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Turkish armored vehicle manufacturer FNSS signed two multi-million euro contracts with Türkiye's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) at SAHA Expo 2026.
The deals cover additional deliveries of Zaha amphibious assault vehicles alongside PARS Scout 6x6 and 8x8 tactical wheeled vehicles, expanding the Turkish Armed Forces' land and amphibious inventories.
FNSS is doubling its Ankara production facility to handle the surge.
The second Zaha contract covers the same vehicle variants and numbers as the first batch, 23 armored personnel carriers, two recovery vehicles and two command post vehicles, EDR On-Line reported.
Following initial deliveries, FNSS maintained a close working relationship with Turkish Navy amphibious troops and incorporated lessons learned into the new batch to make the vehicle more user-friendly without requiring structural changes.
The new batch will also introduce updated subsystems to address obsolescence issues, and several previously imported components will be replaced with domestically produced alternatives, further increasing the vehicle's national content.
The Zaha, classified as a marine assault vehicle (MAV), is designed to be launched from amphibious assault ships and transit from vessel to shore under armor protection, carrying 18 marines plus a three-man crew.
Its dual-role hull design delivers a water speed of 7 knots and a land speed of up to 70 kilometers per hour.
The vehicle features a fully sealed hydrodynamic hull design, dual water-jet propulsion, a hydraulic rear ramp, a hydraulic trim vane, cathodic protection, and self-righting capability in case of capsizing. It is armed with the CAKA Remote-Controlled Turret, equipped with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun and a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
Once ashore, Zaha vehicles are capable of operating alongside main battle tanks and mechanized units. FNSS describes itself as one of the few NATO suppliers with an active production line for this class of vehicle.
The second contract covers the Special Purpose Tactical Wheeled Armored Vehicles (TWAVs) program, encompassing both Pars 6x6 and 8x8 platforms.
The first batch totaled 100 vehicles, roughly equally split between the two variants, 8x8s in command post and radar carrier configurations, and 6x6s in the combat version for the Gendarmerie and Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance version for the Land Forces.
The second batch covers a significantly larger number of vehicles, with the 3-axle and 4-axle split remaining broadly similar, EDR On-Line reported. No detailed breakdown was provided.
The Pars Scout 8x8 reaches a maximum road speed of 100 kilometers per hour, carries a range of over 800 kilometers and features all-wheel steering, hydro-pneumatic suspension, a central tire inflation system, run-flat tires and a self-recovery winch.
Its modular armor system allows protection levels to be adjusted to mission requirements, and its hull and underbelly are designed to resist high-level mine threats.
The vehicle incorporates a domestically developed gearbox and suspension system produced with national resources.
To handle the expanded orderbook, FNSS is doubling production capacity at its Ankara facility with major investment, targeting completion by late 2026 or early 2027.
The company is also restructuring its supply chain to support the increase from 100 to 200 vehicles produced annually.
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