In May 2015, Turkey and Indonesia signed an agreement on the joint development of a promising Modern Medium Weight Tank (MMWT). Over the next few years, FNSS and PT Pindad prepared design documentation, built and tested experimental equipment, and organized mass production. The first production tanks of the new model were recently handed over to the Turkish army. In the near future, deliveries will continue, and Indonesia will receive its equipment.
According to the test results …
Recall that the Turkish-Indonesian agreement appeared in the spring of 2015, and in the fall of 2016, the development companies first showed the layout of the future tank. In May 2017, a demonstration of a full-fledged prototype took place. Soon the car was sent for testing, which lasted more than a year.
In September 2018, FNSS announced the completion of major inspections. In particular, the tank confirmed full compliance with the requirements of the Indonesian army. In the near future, the signing of a contract for the assembly of the first production batch was expected. New orders were to follow.
In May 2019, the development companies signed an additional agreement for the serial production of MMWT. It stipulated the procedure for the release of individual components and the assembly of equipment in two countries. According to foreign media reports, one of the main topics of the agreement was the transfer of a number of technologies to the Indonesian company PT Pindad.
At that time, the first contract with the Indonesian Ministry of Defense was still absent. The army was expected to order up to 20 tanks with a total value of $ 135 million. Later, an official order for 18 vehicles appeared. The deliveries of this equipment are planned for 2020-21.
Last year, a contract was also issued for the production of tanks for the Turkish army. Pre-production and first production armored vehicles were required to be handed over to the customer in 2019-2020. New orders for large quantities of equipment are expected.
Tank in production
Under the terms of the agreement on development and production, the release of new equipment will be carried out in two countries. MMWT tanks for Turkey should be assembled by FNSS. They will be accepted into service under the name Kaplan (tour. "Tiger"). The PT Pindad plant will supply equipment to the Indonesian army accordingly. These tanks were named Harimau ("Tiger" in Indonesian).
In December 2019, FNSS handed over to the Turkish army a pre-production batch of two Kaplan tanks. In early February 2020, the FNSS company announced the start of mass production and the imminent delivery of vehicles to the troops. On March 23, the military department announced the receipt of the first production batch of six tanks. In the near future, the army will receive several more Kaplans. Then work will begin on new contracts. The general requirements of the Turkish army for the number of medium tanks have not yet been specified.
The existing Indonesian contract provides for the supply of 18 serial Harimau tanks of local assembly. According to the news of recent months, the PT Pindad company has already begun to fulfill this order, but the equipment is not yet ready for transfer to the troops. The first tanks will be delivered during 2020, and the delivery of the second batch is scheduled for 2021.
Future deliveries
At various stages of development and preparation for production, it was claimed that Turkey and Indonesia could order a total of 200 to 400 MMWT / Kaplan / Harimau medium tanks. The exact number of the required equipment has not yet been named and it is quite possible that it has not even been determined yet.
The total volume of orders of the two countries will depend both on their desires and plans, and on economic opportunities. Turkey and Indonesia are facing certain problems, which is why they cannot acquire all the desired military equipment in any quantities. Real production volumes will become clear only in the future. So far, we are talking only about dozens of cars.
The MMWT project was developed based on the requirements of the Indonesian and Turkish armies, but it took into account the possibility of future export supplies. During exhibitions of past years, representatives of foreign armies studied the new tank and gave it their own assessments. In one form or another, several countries have shown interest in the car. In the future, this may lead to the emergence of new contracts.
In the fall of 2018, after the completion of the tests, Bangladesh and the Philippines expressed their interest in MMWT. Then Brunei became interested in the car. A year after that, in the fall of 2019, the Ghanaian army entered the circle of potential customers. It is possible that news of the launch of mass production will attract the attention of other countries wishing to update their armored fleet.
However, so far the MMWT tanks have been ordered only by the armies that had previously initiated their development. There are no other contracts, and no negotiations with third countries are reported. Thus, the real export prospects for Kaplan / Harimau remain uncertain. There is interest in technology, but has not yet shifted to the plane of real orders.
Apparently, this development of events is due to several factors. First of all, customers can be scared off by the high price of equipment. MMWT costs more than $ 6-6.5 million - too much for developing countries. In addition, there are already several similar medium tanks on the international market, and the customer has a choice. At the same time, there are not too many potential buyers, which increases competition.
New medium
The Turkish-Indonesian MMWT vehicle belongs to the conventional class of modern medium tanks. It is a medium-weight vehicle (no more than 32-35 tons) with a limited level of protection, high mobility and maximum possible firepower. Such a technique is now being considered as an alternative to main tanks, adapted to the conditions of low-intensity conflicts.
The joint development "Tiger" was made using the solutions of previous Turkish projects. This is a vehicle with bulletproof armor (level 4 according to STANAG 4569) and the ability to install level 5 protection. Mine protection of the same levels is envisaged.
High mobility is provided by a 711-horsepower Caterpillar C13 diesel engine, automatic transmission and tracked chassis with torsion bar suspension. The maximum speed on the highway is 78 km / h, the cruising range is 450 km.
The turret of the MMWT tank is equipped with a 105-mm Cockerill CT-CV 105HP high-pressure smoothbore cannon with an automatic loader. All 105mm unitary rounds that meet NATO standards are allowed. A modern digital control system was used with the ability to search and defeat targets day and night. The implementation of the hunter-killer principle is declared. The cannon is supplemented with a coaxial machine gun.
The installation of an anti-tank missile system is envisaged. The first serial Kaplans for Turkey are equipped with the Russian Kornet-E anti-tank missile system. In the future, it is planned to use the Turkish OMTAS complex. Harimau tanks for the Indonesian army should receive similar weapons.
The crew of three has a system of all-round visibility, its safety is ensured by a system of collective protection against weapons of mass destruction. Automation of a number of processes is declared, which reduces the workload on tankers.
On the battlefield, the MMWT tank must fight manpower, unprotected and lightly armored vehicles, as well as various structures. The possibility of destruction of medium and main tanks of outdated models is provided. The potential for fighting modern MBTs is very limited, but such combat situations are not provided for by the basic concept.
Plans for the future
At the moment, the MMWT program can boast of notable successes, although not everything is going perfectly. Serial production of equipment for both developing countries has begun, and one of them has already received and is mastering the first tanks. The other will start updating the park only by the end of this year. Export prospects remain uncertain.
Turkey and Indonesia have already received the main result of the joint project. Tanks go to the army and increase its readiness for modern threats and challenges. The expected successes in the international market will be a pleasant addition to our own rearmament.
