Turkish army modernizing ACV-15 IFV with new weapon systems

According to the official sources, 133 vehicles to be revamped in the 1st phase with modern weapon and defense systems.

The Turkish Armed Forces are modernizing their armored vehicles with new weapon systems and high-tech mission equipment, Anadolu Agency has learnt.

The prototype of the modernizing project, which is being undertaken by the Presidency of Defense Industries, a civil institution to strengthen Turkey's national security industry and manage the system and supply of military technology, has been completed.

The 900 million lira ($113.1 million) project began in the end of 2019 with the cooperation of Turkish defense companies Aselsan and FNNS, according to Ismail Demir, the head of the presidency.

As many as 133 vehicles will be modernized in the first phase, he said, adding that they will be equipped with remote control Nefer weapon, laser warning, close-range surveillance, driver vision, direction and navigation systems.

The vehicles, Demir said, will also have climate, heating, dire extinction and explosion damping systems, thus strengthening their armor and mine protection levels.

"The durability of the vehicles will significantly increase, and their service life will extend," he said.

The ACV-15 is an amphibious tracked armored combat vehicle family developed by the Turkish defense company FNSS Savunma Sistemleri. The vehicle was developed to meet the Turkish Land Forces Command's operational requirement.

A total of 2,280 ACV-15s are in service with the Turkish army including 650 AFV (Armored Fighting Vehicle), 1,400 Armored Personnel Carrier, 50 ATV (Armored Tow Vehicle), and 180 AMV (Armored Mortar Vehicle). The vehicle is also in service with the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.

The ACV-15 Armored Fighting Vehicle in service with the Turkish army is armed with a one-man turret armed with one 25mm dual-feed automatic cannon and one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.

The goal of this program is to modernize the ACV-15 by upgrading the protection of the vehicle and integrate news features like enhanced mine resistance, air conditioning, fire extinguishing, Auxiliary Power Unit, and more.

The new vehicle will also be fitted with a new NEFER unmanned Remote Weapon Station designed and manufactured by ASELSAN which is armed with one 25mm automatic cannon and a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun. The vehicle is equiped with Laser Warning System, Close Range Surveillance System, Driver’s Vision System, and the Direction Finding and Navigation System. The Aselsan Nefer turret is fully stabilized with shoot-on-the-move capability for stationary and moving targets with gyro-aided stabilization. The turret has a traverse of 360° and elevation from -10° to +60°.