SSB Commits to Delivering First Vehicles in 2021
Initial assembly of the first PARS 6×6 MKKA Mine Protected Vehicle was commences by prime contractor FNSS Savunma Sistemleri in July.
The new vehicle was presented in public for the first time at the company’s Ankara facilities, in the presence of Prof Dr Ismail Demir, President of the Defence Industry (SSB), as well as representatives of the Ministry of National Defence, the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF), the General Directorate of Security and members of the Turkish defence industry. The vehicle, developed in line with TAF requirements under the auspices of the Defence Industry Presidency, is scheduled to enter service next year.
“We will deliver our PARS 6×6 Mine Protected Vehicle with ‘first-in-class’ characteristics to the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) in ’21. We continue on our path to overcome all kinds of restrictions and hurdles through local production,” Prof Demir stated at the event. He emphasised that, designed with the latest generation high protection capabilities to facilitate safe deployment of troops, the built-in remote-control weapon system (RCWS) will provide for threat suppression in urban areas as well as in the field.
Explaining that the vehicle’s 6×6 configuration will provide excellent mobility in all kinds of terrain, Prof Demir added “Following the qualification tests to be completed by the end of the year, all the vehicles are expected to enter service in ‘21. This vehicle […] also has a high export potential. I sincerely hope that this highly capable vehicle will be of great benefit to our security services and the TAF. We will start with the delivery of 12 PARS 6×6 platforms. We hope to continue with further deliveries […] We have been observing increasing efforts towards restrictions and embargoes of [all] sorts over the recent years. Our local company developing this vehicle continued its efforts by overcoming those hurdles through localisation solutions. We would like to extend our deep appreciation to all those local companies and the associated supply chain, who have dedicated their efforts to the localisation process in spite of the hurdles, thus taking the National Technology Initiative to the next level. We are determined to continue on our path, where every new restriction serves as an inspiration to further deepen our efforts.”
Nail Kurt, General Manager and CEO of FNSS Savunma Sistemleri, drew attention to the fact that the PARS 6×6 MKKA development programme reached the initial assembly stage in a remarkably brief period of 15 months from inception. He further emphasised that the platforms have been designed with capabilities over and above those of vehicles already in service and that he believes that, once in service, they will significantly strengthen TAF capabilities, particularly with regard to their state-of-the-art survivability.
As the programme continues, individual cooperation agreements realised with local companies and institutions – primarily Aselsan and Tubitak, the Turkish Scientific and Technical Research Institute – will continue during the support period following delivery. The programme takes on added importance in currently meeting TAF’s technical and tactical requirements, as well as those of other armed forces planning future procurement of similar vehicles, complete with modern Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) solutions.
