Turkey upgrades ACV-15 APCs

The SSB awarded a contract to FNSS on 26 May to upgrade some of the Turkish Land Forces' ACV-15 APCs. (FNSS)

Turkey's Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) awarded a contract to FNSS on 26 May to modernise and upgrade some of the Turkish Land Forces' fleet of ACV-15 armoured personnel carriers (APCs) under the Advanced Armoured Personnel Carrier (GZTP) capability enhancement and life extension programme. The Turkish company held a press event the same day to mark the occasion.

The modernisation programme aims to upgrade 52 of the Turkish Land Forces' 551 ACV-15 APCs delivered by FNSS in the early 2000s. The programme is scheduled to be completed within 24 months, with the aim of increasing the APCs' performance and capabilities and extending their operational lifetime by more than 20 years.

The tracked, lightweight APC-15 has a small silhouette and ballistic aluminium plates, with an all-welded construction making the hull watertight so the infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) is amphibious. The vehicle can accommodate 10 troops in addition to the commander, driver, and gunner, who can enter the vehicle through top hatches and a rear hydraulic ramp.

The upgrade includes replacing the existing manually operated machine gun (MG) with an FNSS remote weapon station, which can be equipped with a 12.7 mm MG or 40 mm automatic grenade launcher and close-range surveillance system for situational awareness, with a 7.62 mm co-axial MG.

FNSS will also equip the IFVs with an auxiliary power unit, air conditioning system, automatic fire suppression system, and spall liners. A new vision system featuring day/night cameras and a navigation system will be added.