MKE debuts Boran howitzer at Exercise ‘Ates Serbest 2025'

MKE's Boran light howitzer seen slung under an S-70 helicopter during Türkiye's Exercise ‘Ateş Serbest 2025' in October. (Devrim Yaylali)

Making its debut at Türkiyeʼs Exercise ‘Ateş Serbest 2025ʼ near Polatlı, Ankara-headquartered company MKEʼs Boran air transportable light towed howitzer (ATLTH) demonstrated its capabilities in a live-fire exercise.

The exercise, held from 6 to 11 October, was intended to demonstrate the level of firepower achieved by the Turkish Armed Forces, as well as testing personnel on reaction and firing, and familiarising them with systems and fire co-ordination.

The Boran has a 105 mm, 30 calibre barrel, and weighs approximately 1,720 kg including its fire-control system (FCS). It has a maximum range of 17 km at sea level, with an elevation range of -3° to +70° and a traverse of 8° to either side. The system can be fully deployed in under one minute. It is light enough to be carried to the battlefield as an external load by general purpose helicopters.

The gun is fitted with Aselsanʼs Volkan 230/105 FCS. This FCS provides the gun crew with information such as continuous position and barrel orientation data via an inertial navigation system (INS), measures muzzle velocity with an Initial Velocity Measurement Radar (IVMR), and enables target detection and direct (day/night) fire through a laser rangefinder combined with a thermal camera.

The power infrastructure supports up to eight hours of continuous operation and offers flexible supply options, including power from the grid or vehicles, onboard battery usage, and portable generator charging.

Operated by a crew of five, the Boran achieves a firing rate of six rounds per minute and is capable of sustained operation in ambient temperatures ranging from -32 °C to +44 °C.

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