Newsletters
Turkish defense firm Otokar and Italian company Leonardo have completed static and dynamic firing tests for the Tulpar tracked armored combat vehicle equipped with a new 120-millimeter turret, marking a key milestone in the companies' land systems cooperation.
Leonardo's HITFACT MkII turret was integrated with Otokar's next-generation tracked platform, combining main battle tank-level firepower with the Tulpar's mobility, protection and modular architecture, according to a statement from Otokar.
Before the firing tests, engineering teams from both companies carried out a comprehensive integration program covering the mechanical, electrical, electronic and software interfaces between the platform and turret.
Extensive functional checks, safety inspections and system verification activities confirmed the integrated system's performance, reliability and interoperability.
Following the successful completion of the integration phase, the platform underwent a series of firing tests under both static and dynamic conditions.
The program evaluated the integrated system's performance across a range of representative operational scenarios.
Throughout the tests, the turret and platform demonstrated seamless integration, with the weapon system, fire control system, stabilization performance and overall system functionality successfully meeting all planned test objectives.
Sedef Vehbi, Otokar's deputy general manager for military vehicles, said the successful completion of the program demonstrated Tulpar's capability to integrate large-caliber turret systems, meeting the mobility, survivability and firepower requirements demanded by modern armed forces.
"This also reflects Otokar's engineering excellence and our commitment to developing a modular architecture that enables rapid integration of mission-specific weapon systems to meet the operational requirements of our diverse users," he said.
"This achievement reinforces the strong collaboration between Otokar and Leonardo, and demonstrates both companies' ability to deliver integrated, high-performance land combat solutions to international customers," Vehbi added.
Luca Perazzo, Leonardo's deputy managing director of defense systems, said the company was pleased with the results. "We are proud to showcase the technological excellence of our systems. The integration of our HITFACT MkII turret onto Tulpar once again demonstrates the turret's modularity," he noted.
"The HITFACT turret is currently the only system in the world equipped with a 120mm smoothbore gun that delivers the same firepower as a main battle tank system while being integrable onto a light or medium-class platform, and capable of using the new precision-guided Vulcano 120 ammunition for accurate fire," Perazzo said.
He added that the HITFACT is only one of the weapon systems Leonardo currently offers, alongside the company's HITFIST medium-caliber turret family, which can be equipped with 30mm X-GUN technology.
Tulpar is a multipurpose tracked platform designed for high lethality, modularity and growth potential, tailored to meet current and future operational requirements.
Its modular design is intended to increase operational flexibility by using common components and a shared chassis across a wide range of vehicle variants. Tulpar's powerpack, located at the front of the hull, combines a turbocharged diesel engine with an automatic transmission, delivering between 700 and 1,100 horsepower.
Tulpar's high modularity allows it to be fitted with manned or unmanned weapon systems ranging from 7.62mm to 120mm, as well as air defense and mortar systems.
The Tulpar infantry fighting vehicle was first introduced at IDEF 2015 in Istanbul, designed to meet the evolving needs of the Turkish Land Forces, and can be configured across variants with a gross vehicle weight ranging from 30 to 45 tonnes.
Otokar and Leonardo first unveiled their collaborative light tank solution at the World Defense Show 2024 in Riyadh.
Leonardo's HITFACT II turret, originally developed for the Centauro II wheeled platform and currently in service with the Italian and Brazilian armies, can be armed with either a 105mm or 120mm smoothbore main gun and features a coaxial machine gun.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
