Produced domestically by defense giant Otokar, the ARMA 8x8 tactical wheeled armored vehicle has been recently added to the inventory of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), Anadolu Agency (AA) reported Saturday.
In the dynamic landscape of the Turkish defense industry, manufacturers of armored vehicles are spearheading innovation with the introduction of cutting-edge solutions, meticulously developed both domestically and internationally.
These solutions are seamlessly integrated into the Turkish Armed Forces through various projects, skillfully coordinated by the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB).
Leading industry manufacturer Otokar equips its 4x4, 6x6, 8x8, and tracked original vehicles with different configurations to meet the combat field's needs with high protection levels and mobility.
Otokar's ARMA wheeled vehicle family is being actively employed by nine different users spanning five countries, including Türkiye.
The 8x8 version of the ARMA family, part of the YENER Modern Mine Detection System project led by another defense giant Aselsan, has recently been introduced into the inventory.
This vehicle, delivered to the Land Forces Command, ensures personnel safety at the highest level by detecting, diagnosing and marking handmade explosives and mines with its special equipment.
Aselsan YENER, integrated into the armored vehicle, directs radar and metal detectors controlled by mechanisms in front and on the sides, preventing measures against mines and explosives on the route.
YENER, with its advanced radar algorithms, can detect different types and sizes of threats even in different soil types, making significant contributions to the Turkish Armed Forces.
For this project, Otokar has produced a vehicle that retains the superior features of the ARMA 8x8 while smoothly meeting additional challenging requirements.
The ARMA vehicle family was developed in 2006 and achieved export success in 2015. As the use of the vehicle family became widespread, the sale of 400 units of the 8x8 vehicle to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) became one of the most significant export successes in this field.
The leader of the vehicle family, the ARMA 8x8, stands out with its armored monocoque body structure providing high-level ballistic and mine protection, and its modular structure allowing the integration of different task equipment or weapon systems. It effectively meets the needs of armies in modern combat and peacekeeping operations.
To respond to increasing demands such as more protection, more interior space and the use of a larger turret, Otokar developed the more superior version of the vehicle named ARMA II 8x8.
Otokar localized many subsystems in the ARMA II 8x8 and integrated a domestic engine into the vehicle.
The ARMA II 8x8, equipped with a domestic engine, is Türkiye's first 8x8 vehicle featuring a 720 horsepower and 12.7-liter Ecotorq engine option.
ARMA II offers a platform suitable for many different missions; from armored combat vehicles to armored personnel carriers; from command and control vehicles to air defense missions.
With the extra interior volume provided by the expanded hull, ARMA II is the most superior vehicle in its class with the modularity to operate as a maintenance and repair vehicle or an ambulance, according to the company.