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Turkish defense firm Otokar's Tulpar tracked infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) made its first public appearance, fitted with Aselsan's Korhan 35mm unmanned turret at SAHA Expo 2026 in Istanbul.
The EDR On-Line described as a full integration rather than a static exhibition display, and one that signals renewed momentum toward a Turkish Army procurement decision for a tracked IFV to replace the aging ACV-15 fleet.
According to the reporting from the Istanbul exhibition, the Korhan 35 integration on the Tulpar is complete. The turret was equipped with Aselsan's Akkor active protection system (APS), with the twin launcher visible on top of the turret and radars at the turret's corners.
Otokar sources told EDR On-Line the company does not plan to test-fire the Korhan on the Tulpar at this stage, as the turret is already well-proven, full tests will only be conducted once the Turkish tracked IFV program formally begins.
The Korhan 35 had previously been integrated onto Otokar's Arma 8×8 and was successfully test-fired on that platform.
The Turkish Land Forces currently operate approximately 650 ACV-15 tracked IFVs fitted with 25mm turrets, with roughly 20% upgraded to the T1 standard.
EDR On-Line noted that the arrival of the new Altay main battle tank will require a more modern tracked IFV for mechanized infantry, and that the Tulpar-Korhan 35 pairing directly addresses that gap.
Otokar unveiled the Tulpar platform in 2013 and has exhibited it with multiple turret configurations since, including the Leonardo HITFACT 120mm, while promoting it to international customers, including Brazil and Poland, but no Turkish Army order has materialized to date.
Otokar proposes the Tulpar as a flexible tracked platform with a combat mass range of 28 to 45 tonnes.
Powerpack options range from 720 to 1,100 hp and include Caterpillar, Cummins, and Scania engines, with a domestic option in the Utku V8 from BMC Power at 1,000 hp.
A seven-dual-wheel torsion-bar suspension system on each side and an automatic track-tension system adapt the vehicle to different terrain types.
The platform accommodates a wide range of variants, including medium tank, IFV, APC, reconnaissance, command-and-control, air defense, mortar, and recovery configurations, with manned or unmanned weapon systems ranging from 7.62mm to 120mm.
Otokar has built one Tulpar prototype and three pre-series vehicles.
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