13 February 2024

WDS 2024: Otokar's Tulpar modular AFV fitted with HITFACT MkII 120 mm turret

by Sunil Nair & Sonny Butterworth

Otokar Tulpar AFV with HITFACT MkII 120 mm turret at WDS 2024. (Janes/Sunil Nair)

Turkish company Otokar displayed the Tulpar armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) fitted with Leonardo's Highly Integrated Technology, Fire Against Combat Tank (HITFACT) MkII 120 mm smoothbore gun turret at the World Defense Show (WDS) 2024 held in Riyadh from 4 to 8 February.

Otokar's Tulpar is a family of medium-weight tracked AFVs designed to provide a user with a single common platform that can perform multiple roles.

The HITFACT MkII turret is armed with an Oto Melara-developed 120 mm/45 calibre high-pressure autofrettaged low-recoil smoothbore gun that is fitted with a thermal sleeve, fume extractor, pepper pot muzzle brake, and muzzle reference system (MRS). The MRS allows the gunner to boresight the 120 mm smoothbore gun from within the turret to take into account changing ambient temperatures that can take place over a 24-hour period.

According to Janes Land Warfare Platforms: Firepower, Survivability & Mobility , the HITFACT MkII turret's shape features a more arrow-shaped armour configuration on the front and sides, and a more acutely angular gunshield, instead of the steep, flat-walled configuration, and more obtusely angled gunshield on the HITFACT. In addition, the gunner's sight is recessed much further back into the turret than on the HITFACT and is mounted almost in the middle of the turret.

Turkish company Otokar displayed the Tulpar armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) fitted with Leonardo's H...

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