As IDEF approaches, companies continue to showcase their work. OTOKAR also unveiled its defence industry capabilities and introduced future armoured vehicles. Otokar is a company that supplies various products to NATO and the United Nations and provides military vehicles to nearly 60 users in more than 40 friendly and allied countries. OTOKAR adds ALPAR Heavy Class Tracked Unmanned Ground Vehicle, ARMA II 8×8 Vehicle and AKREP II R Reconnaissance-Surveillance vehicle to its armoured product family.
At the press briefing, Görgüç stated that Otokar competes with world giants globally with its design, development, technology and engineering capabilities. He underlined that the defence industry expenditures increased by 3.7 per cent in 2022 globally and said, “In global markets, the Turkish defence industry receives great appreciation worldwide with the products and vehicles it produces. As Turkiye’s global land systems manufacturer, we have an important role in this success.”
Görgüç stated that exports constitute 73 per cent of OTOKAR’s turnover together with their subsidiaries. Görgüç noted, “In 2022, the share of exports in our defence industry turnover was 99 per cent. In addition to its products, Otokar is now a company that stands out globally with its technology transfer and local production capability.”
Stating that Otokar’s success is based on its understanding of continuous self-development and pioneering innovation, Görgüç said, “We implement new technologies in land systems and assume a leading role in the sector. Our products, global knowledge, engineering success, R&D and technology capabilities have made us a global player in the defence industry. Thanks to our superior design, testing and production capabilities, we can respond quickly to our users’ ever-changing requirements and needs.
We allocate seven per cent of our turnover to research and development activities. Our R&D spending for the last ten years has reached 2.1 billion TL. By working on new projects and solutions with more than 600 R&D Centre employees, we are developing vehicles that will meet the needs of modern armies.”
Görgüç introduced the company’s latest works ARMA II 8×8, AKREP II R, and HEAVY CLASS TRACKED UNMANNED ARMOURED VEHICLE: ALPAR.
Otokar developed the ARMA II 8×8 Armoured Vehicle, taking into account the asymmetrical threats that are frequently encountered today and the classical combat conditions. ARMA II offers the highest ballistic, mine and improvised explosive (IED) protection in its class and high terrain capability. With a maximum payload of 40 tons, ARMA II allows the integration of heavy weapon systems up to 120mm calibre, greater carrying capacity, and more protection features. OTOKAR’s previous ARMA 8×8 Armoured Vehicle weighs 30 tonnes and has amphibious capability, but this one does not have amphibious features.
A 12.7-litre, 6-cylinder, turbodiesel, 720 HP domestic engine was used for ARMA II. During the three years of operation, onboard tests of the engine were carried out, system-level qualifications were completed, and it was ready for mass production. Thus, the ability to design and manufacture an 8×8 armoured vehicle in Turkiye with a domestic engine was brought to the country. The company can export this vehicle with a foreign engine option with the same power. Otokar used the transfer case and suspension system it designed and produced with its own resources to reduce foreign dependency on ARMA II. It preferred national design and domestic production subsystems, including the cooling package.
ARMA II, designed as a modular platform, from armoured personnel carrier to reconnaissance vehicle; A platform suitable for many different missions, from command-and-control vehicles to battlefield rescue missions. With the additional volume provided by the enlarged body main structure.
Otokar introduced AKREP II R, the new variant of AKREP II. Developed as an advanced reconnaissance and surveillance vehicle, the 4X4, with its low silhouette, can easily perform reconnaissance and surveillance activities in the area close to the battlefield while at the same time, it can send the information it obtains to a command-and-control centre thanks to the battlefield management system and the satellite communication system on board. The 12.7 mm cannon mounted on the vehicle can be commanded from inside the car. There is an E/O system on the mast system that increases the range. The car has a hybrid engine system. Thus, the vehicle, which has a range of 500 km with diesel fuel, moves at a range of 50 km with an electric motor without emitting acoustic and thermal signals.
Thanks to the CBRN protection equipment, auxiliary power group and other support equipment that can be added to the vehicle with a capacity of three personnel, the vehicle personnel can work on the battlefield for days.
OTOKAR’s surprise at the meeting was the ALPAR Heavy Class Tracked Unmanned Armoured Vehicle. Otokar developed ALPAR as an unmanned platform for manned-unmanned teaming on the battlefield to meet the needs of the armed force’s robotic and unmanned ground vehicles. The vehicle, with a maximum loaded weight of 15 tons, aims to find solutions to the following issues with its autonomous systems and artificial intelligence systems:
Reducing personnel risk on the battlefield Increasing the success of tasks, especially routine tasks, by reducing the number of personnel in the field with the use of Artificial Intelligence and data analytics
Increasing the effectiveness on the battlefield by communicating with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles and other elements on the battlefield
ALPAR, an unmanned heavy land vehicle, is a first for the Turkish defence industry. The car, which has a serial hybrid electric drive infrastructure and can operate completely silently, can operate autonomously and with remote control. ALPAR has a low thermal footprint, is air transportable, and is equipped with fast-change battery infrastructure.
All environmental detection and decision-making algorithms used in ALPAR were developed domestically. The vehicle has Adaptive Driving Support Systems designed by Otokar.
Another first among the systems introduced by Otokar. Anti-tank missile integration was carried out on a 30 mm turret system for the first time in Turkiye. Roketsan OMTAS launcher was integrated into Otokar’s MIZRAK 30 turret, providing anti-tank missile capability for the first time to a turret system manufactured in Turkiye.
