Notes: The Arma
is a medium wheeled APC just beginning its career in Turkey, and getting some
interest from foreign buyers. It is
a simple APC designed with modular weaponry, advanced armor technology with the
ability to take appliqué armor, and the ability to be used as a platform for a
number of tactical vehicles. Otokar
began development of the Arma as a private venture in 2007, when Turkey was
undergoing a number of measures to modernize its armed forces; though it started
the project with no sure future, the Turkish Army chose it to re-equip part of
its mechanized forces recently. Turkey plans to have a force of 336 Armas in
varying roles by 2015.
At its heart,
the layout of the Arma is conventional, with a driver’s position on the front
right, a commander’s position behind it, and the troop compartment at the rear.
The driver has conventional controls and has a small bullet-resistant
windshield to his front and wedge-shaped bullet-resistant windows to his sides;
there are no provisions for night vision integrated into the driver’s
compartment, but the driver is normally issued night vision goggles and the Arma
does have a pair of IR headlights.
The commander’s position is normally to the rear of the driver and slightly
offset towards the left. This
position can be as simple as having a simple hatch ringed with vision blocks and
armed with a pintle mounted weapon, or it can have an RWS or small turret.
If the driver’s hatch is locked open (which is in the vertical), the
hatch unfortunately obstructs the commander’s position on a normal pintle mount,
with the weapon barely being able to fire over it.
The Turkish Army plans for most of its Armas to be armed with one of
three differently-armed RWSs, with Armas having simple commander’s stations
being reserved for specialist vehicles (such as the variants announced so far).
Troop access is primarily via a large door in the rear, two firing ports are
found in each side and one in rear door.
The troops sit down the sides of the vehicle; interior space is fairly
cramped for the troops inside, but includes a number of lockers and underseat
storage bins for equipment. Four
smoke grenade launchers are found on each side of the vehicle, at the top of the
side plates towards the rear of the vehicle.
The APC version has a GPS set.
The Arma is
powered by a 450-horsepower turbocharged engine and has an automatic
transmission. The fuel tanks are at
the rear and external to the vehicle (like those on the M-113A3), though fully
armored and with self-sealing features.
The armor is more protective than one might expect from its class of
vehicle due to its utilization of modern armor composition standards, and the
Turkish Army is expected to take advantage of MEXAS appliqué composite armor in
some roles. The Arma does not have
an MRAP hull, but the high ground clearance and advanced armoring on the belly
make it more resistant to mines and IEDs; the crew and troops also have seats
designed to help take up the shock of mine explosions.
The 6x6 off-road suspension can be switched to 6x4 for road use, and has
decent hydropneumatic shock absorption.
The Arma is amphibious, propelled by steerable propellers at the rear in
the water, and those propellers being controlled by the driver by the use of
joystick controllers on either side of him.
Steering is by the front wheels, but they can be steered to extreme
angles and the Arma’s turning radius is only 7.85 meters.
The Turkish have
announced a number of variants, including a longer 8x8 version of the APC in
late 2011. (It should be noted that
the 8x8 version is switchable to 8x4 for road use.) A fire control version is
expected with a heavy autocannon (not featured on this page).
APC-type variants include a command version (in 6x6 and 8x8
configurations), an NBC reconnaissance vehicle, an intelligence version with a
ground surveillance radar and enhanced night vision equipment, and an EW version
which is both a radar/radio finder and signals intelligence vehicles designed to
detect enemy electromagnetic emissions and conduct signals intelligence.
The command
version is equipped with a Battlefield Management System, and is basically a
motorized and computerized command post.
It has the general features of a BMS-equipped vehicle, with the computer
and digital storage space and stations, monitors for combat information and
mapping, and monitoring of friendly and known enemy positions.
There is space for conventional command supplies such as maps and
office/plotting gear well as simple radio information and the means to change
friendly codes remotely as on the SINGARS system.
The command version is typically armed with a simple pintle-mounted
weapon. It carries two long-range
radios, one of which is fully data capable to allow BMSs to talk to each other
or for the BMS to transmit to independent tactical computers and systems.
It also has two medium-range radios and one short-range radio, as well as
a mast which can be erected during halts to increase radio range.
The command version has a short, external mast with a laser rangefinder
and vision equipment.
The NBC
reconnaissance version is fully NBC sealed and has the means and instruments to
detect, analyze, and categorize such threats, including sampling of outside air
and taking samples off of the ground or other surfaces and plants through the
use of two manipulator arms. The
NBC reconnaissance version normally has an RWS, since it may have to fight while
NBC-sealed and has an overpressure system.
It has air conditioning and adequate heating, since it is sealed. It has
one data-capable long-range radio, a second long-range radio, and two
short-range radios. It also has a
small computer to help the crew to analyze NBC threats and transmit its findings
to higher headquarters. NBC reconnaissance versions are 6x6,
The EW version’s primary mission is signals intelligence. As such, it’s equipment can scan up to six bands of radio at one time, with the vehicle’s onboard computer searching for various keywords and phrases and transmission patterns. The crew can actively listen in on up to four frequencies. It can listen in on these frequencies and scan the bands at a range of 40 kilometers. Radio detection range is 50 kilometers. It can also detect radar, at a range of 40 kilometers. It can also sort out whether the radio communications are voice streams or data streams. To a limited extent, it can detect the electronic emissions of computers, though it cannot hack into these devices; range for this is 10 kilometers. The EW version has a simple commander’s station. As far as radios, the EW version has one long-range data-capable radio, one medium-range radio, and one short-range radio. EW versions are 6x6.
Twilight 2000
Notes: The Arma is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Arma APC (6x6) |
$127,872 |
D, A |
2.25 kg |
18.5 tons |
2+8 |
10 |
Passive IR (G), Image Intensification (G) |
Shielded |
Arma APC (8x8) |
$128,154 |
D, A |
2.25 kg |
18.8 tons |
2+10 |
10 |
Passive IR (G), Image Intensification (G) |
Shielded |
Arma APC (6x6) w/Appliqué |
$133,505 |
D, A |
1.9 tons |
19.8 tons |
2+8 |
11 |
Passive IR (G), Image Intensification (G) |
Shielded |
Arma APC (8x8) w/Appliqué |
$133,787 |
D, A |
1.9 tons |
20.1 tons |
2+10 |
11 |
Passive IR (G), Image Intensification (G) |
Shielded |
Arma Command (6x6) |
$291,186 |
D, A |
1.13 kg |
19 tons |
2+4 |
12 |
Passive IR (Mast), Image Intensification (Mast), Thermal Imaging (Mast) |
Shielded |
Arma Command (8x8) |
$291,468 |
D, A |
1.13 kg |
19.3 tons |
2+5 |
12 |
Passive IR (Mast), Image Intensification (Mast), Thermal Imaging (Mast) |
Shielded |
Arma Command (6x6) w/Appliqué |
$297,101 |
D, A |
780 kg |
20.4 tons |
2+4 |
13 |
Passive IR (Mast), Image Intensification (Mast), Thermal Imaging (Mast) |
Shielded |
Arma Command (8x8) w/Appliqué |
$297,383 |
D, A |
705 kg |
20.7 tons |
2+5 |
13 |
Passive IR (Mast), Image Intensification (Mast), Thermal Imaging (Mast) |
Shielded |
Arma NBC Reconnaissance |
$483,332 |
D, A |
1.13 tons |
19 tons |
4 |
12 |
Passive IR (G), Image Intensification (G) |
Shielded |
Arma NBC Reconnaissance w/Appliqué |
$488,965 |
D, A |
780 kg |
20.4 tons |
4 |
13 |
Passive IR (G), Image Intensification (G) |
Shielded |
Arma EW |
$766,748 |
D, A |
1.03 tons |
19.4 tons |
4 |
10 |
Headlights |
Shielded |
Arma EW w/Appliqué |
$772,381 |
D, A |
905 kg |
19.9 tons |
4 |
10 |
Headlights |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Arma APC (6x6) |
178/90 |
41/21/6 |
435 |
216 |
CiH |
W(6) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF8Sp
HS6Sp HR5* |
Arma APC (8x8) |
174/88 |
40/21/6 |
435 |
220 |
CiH |
W(8) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF8Sp
HS6Sp HR5* |
Arma APC (6x6) w/Appliqué |
166/84 |
38/20/6 |
435 |
231 |
CiH |
W(6) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF12Cp
HS8Cp HR7** |
Arma APC (8x8) w/Appliqué |
164/83 |
38/19/6 |
435 |
235 |
CiH |
W(8) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF12Cp
HS8Cp HR7** |
Arma Command (6x6) |
173/87 |
40/20/6 |
435 |
222 |
Stnd |
W(6) |
HF8Sp HS6Sp
HR5* |
Arma Command (8x8) |
171/86 |
39/30/6 |
435 |
225 |
Stnd |
W(8) |
HF8Sp HS6Sp
HR5* |
Arma Command (6x6) w/Appliqué |
158/80 |
36/19/5 |
435 |
242 |
Stnd |
W(6) |
HF12Cp HS8Cp
HR7** |
Arma Command (8x8) w/Appliqué |
158/80 |
36/19/5 |
435 |
242 |
Stnd |
W(8) |
HF12Cp HS8Cp
HR7** |
Arma NBC Recon |
173/87 |
40/20/6 |
435 |
222 |
CiH |
W(6) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF8Sp
HS6Sp HR5* |
Arma NBC Recon w/Appliqué |
158/80 |
36/19/5 |
435 |
242 |
CiH |
W(6) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF12Cp
HS8Cp HR7** |
Arma EW |
169/86 |
39/30/6 |
435 |
227 |
Stnd |
W(6) |
HF8Sp HS6Sp
HR5* |
Arma EW w/Appliqué |
166/84 |
37/30/6 |
435 |
233 |
Stnd |
W(6) |
HF12Cp HS8Cp
HR7** |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Arma APC/NBC Reconnaissance |
+3 |
Fair |
M-2HB or Mk 19 or 20mm Oerlikon KAA (C) |
1000x.50 or 320x40mm Grenades or 635x20mm |
Arma Command/EW |
None |
None |
M-2HB (C) |
1000x.50 |
*Roof AV is 3; Floor AV is 6Sp.
**Roof AV is 4; Floor AV is 7Sp.
Otokar Akrep APC
Notes:
This is a stretched version of the Akrep (Scorpion) light armored
vehicle, and is basically an armored truck based on the Land Rover Defender
90/100 chassis. The Akrep is
basically a simple vehicle that is little more than an armored truck. Aside from
Turkey, the only other user is Iraq (the new Iraq Army and police); The Iraqis
are actually the largest users of the Akrep, with 600 vehicles bought.
The driver and
commander are in a front cab, behind the engine compartment.
The commander and driver have a large two-piece bullet-resistant
windshield to the front and good-sized bullet-resistant windows to their sides.
They enter and exit through doors in the sides of the cab, and can also
reach their position through the troop compartment.
The troops can be seated down the center of the vehicle or along the
sides, and have three firing ports on the on the left side, two on the right
side, one in the rear, and one in the right rear corner.
The roof has a hatch surrounded by a rotating gun AV 2 shield, and the
rear hull has a large door for troops to enter and depart.
The gunner has a raisable platform for him to stand on.
The gunner’s position has WL spotlight for him to operate.
Engine power is
a 134-horsepower diesel engine, with 4x4 suspension.
Nonetheless, the Akrep APC is best suited for road use instead of
off-road use. The vehicle has run-flat tires and a winch in the front bumper
with a capacity of 3.6 tons.
Optional equipment includes sirens, flashing lights, loudspeakers, smoke grenade
launchers, and other such equipment.
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
$14,098 |
D, A |
1.08 tons |
3.6 tons |
2+6 |
2 |
WL Spotlight |
Enclosed |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
328/80 |
76/19 |
85 |
88 |
Stnd |
W(2) |
HF3 HS2
HR2 |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
None |
None |
MAG (C) |
1620x7.62mm |
Otokar Cobra
Notes:
This is a Turkish light armored personnel carrier based on an expanded
version of the HMMWV chassis.
Variants include two types of reconnaissance cars, a command vehicle, an
ambulance, a mortar carrier, and a TOW II ATGM carrier; only the APC-type
versions will be detailed on this page. The Cobra is a light and agile light
APC, used by 19 countries. It has
seen combat service in Georgia and South Ossetia (Georgia is the largest user of
the Cobra), in use by Slovenia as part of IFOR and KFOR, and in Algeria during
various border wars and internal instabilities.
The Turks have used them against Kurdish rebels, even sending some into
raids into northern Iraq. In 2010, the Bangladeshi Police bought 7 of them, and
the Bangladeshi Army is currently evaluating 24 examples loaned from Otokar and
will probably buy them and more.
The Cobra has
been altered almost unrecognizably from its HMMWV roots, though a look under the
armor and at the interior would tell the observer that it is a HMMWV wearing
armor. The driver and commander
ride up front, behind bullet-resistant windshields.
They have one bullet-resistant windshield on each side of them.
They have no separate doors; they enter and exit through the crew
compartment. There are doors on either side of the hull for crew access, and a
large door in the rear of the hull for rapid dismount of troops.
There are two firing ports in either side of the passenger compartment.
On the roof is a small turret with a weapon. Alternatively, the weapon can be
externally mounted and aimed and fired from either a hatch in the roof or
remotely from inside the hull. To the rear of the turret are two small hatches
on the rear deck.
The Cobra is
powered by a 190-horsepower turbocharged diesel, coupled to a manual
transmission. The Cobra is
amphibious, powered by propellers in the water; the driver controls these
propellers via joysticks, and can turn them 180 degrees.
The frontal armor is sharply-raked, and the side armor and rear armor is
moderately sloped, providing better protection than might be expected from such
a light vehicle. The Cobra has an
MRAP hull.
APC-type
variants include an ambulance. As
the Cobra is a rather small vehicle, it makes for a sort of barebones type of
ambulance, though it does have an improved shock absorption system to ease the
ride. The Cobra Ambulance does have
room for a small refrigerator, the equivalent of one doctor’s medical bag and 10
personal medical kits, and a small assortment of slings, bandages, burn
treatments, and splints. Though up
to four stretcher cases can be carried, the room for the medic to attend to his
charges is very limited; more commonly, two stretcher cases and up to 4 seated
casualties, or six seated casualties are carried.
The Cobra ambulance is equipped with air conditioning as well as an
improved heater. The Ambulance is
unarmed.
The
Cobra CCV (Command and Control Vehicle)
is fitted with at least three radios (one long-range with data
capability, one medium-range, and one short-range), a map board, and a
ruggedized laptop computer, as well as a set of folding tables and chairs
(strapped to the outside). On the
roof of the vehicle is fitted a dish for a ground surveillance radar and a mast
for long-range antennas, and inside is also a SATCOM terminal, a video camera,
GPS, and better night vision. The
night vision output can be relayed to the onboard computer. The CCV is meant to
carry the equipment for a mobile command post; the actual command personnel ride
in other vehicles. The CCV has a simple pintle mount with a light weapon.
Twilight 2000
Notes: This vehicle does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
APC |
$17,286 |
D, A |
1.2 tons |
6.2 tons |
3+6 |
2 |
Passive IR (G), WL Spotlight (G) |
Enclosed |
Ambulance |
$19,879 |
D, A |
600 kg |
6.4 tons |
* |
3 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
CCV |
$123,879 |
D, A |
600 kg |
6.8 tons |
4 |
4 |
Image Intensification (G), Thermal Imaging (G), Radar (Mast), WL
Spotlight (G) |
Enclosed |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
APC |
223/113 |
52/26/5 |
145 |
98 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF5
HS3 HR3** |
Ambulance |
216/110 |
50/25/5 |
145 |
101 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF5 HS3
HR3** |
CCV |
203/103 |
47/24/5 |
145 |
108 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF5 HS3
HR3** |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
APC |
+1 |
Basic |
MAG or M-2HB or Mk 19 |
850x7.62mm or 500x.50 or 160x40mm |
CCV |
None |
None |
MAG (C) |
850x7.62mm |
*See Notes for Crew and passenger capacity.
**Floor AV is 4Sp.
Otokar Kaya
Notes: The
Kaya is Turkey’s first domestically-produced MRAP-hull vehicle, based on a
Unimog 500 cross-country truck and given an armored hull and V-shaped floor.
As early 2011, the production lines stand open, but no orders have yet
been made for the Kaya. The Kaya
was a private venture by Otokar, but with the success of the Arma, Otokar has a
reasonable chance to expect sales of the Kaya any day now.
The Kaya
essentially takes the form of an armored truck, with the engine at the front, a
cab behind it, and a rear troop compartment with a gunner’s position included.
In that, it looks like many current MRAP designs. The front cab is behind
a large frontal bullet-resistant windshield and a window to either side; the
driver and commander enter the cab through doors in the sides of the cab and the
cab is separated from the troop compartment by an armored bulkhead.
The gunner’s position can be as simple as a cupola ringed by gun shields
or be an RWS with various types of weapons.
The troops have typical shock-absorbing seats that are found in an MRAP.
Three firing ports are found on each side and one in the rear; access for
the troops is via a large door in the rear.
Seating is down the sides of the rear, except for the gunner’s position.
The front bumper or top of the rear sides have a bank of four grenade
launchers on each side.
The Kaya is
powered by a 218-horsepower turbocharged diesel engine, coupled to an automatic
transmission. The driver has
conventional controls as one might find on a truck.
The suspension is 4x4 and has a high ground clearance with
specially-designed, beefed-up suspension components, including heavy-gauge
axles, more-than-adequate shock absorption, and puncture-resistant, run-flat
tires. The hull channels away
blasts from the body of the vehicle; a blown-off wheel can be replaced in less
than an hour with proper service vehicles and parts.
In addition to the MRAP hull, more advanced armor is employed.
No appliqué armor is currently envisioned, but this is a possibility for
the future.
The only
currently-announced variant is a logistics carrier, which takes away the troop
section and replaces it with a flatbed, open cargo-carrying section with
rollers, tie-down, and lock-down points and a light crane for materiel handling
and with a capacity of 2 tons. The
cargo section is covered by a truck-like canvas and bows.
The commander’s position has a roof hatch, and this has a pintle-mounted
weapon.
Twilight 20000
Notes: The Kaya is not available in the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
Kaya (Pintle-Mount) |
$26,086 |
D, A |
2 tons |
12.5 tons |
3+9 |
10 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Kaya (RWS) |
$67,744 |
D, A |
1.9 tons |
12.9 tons |
3+9 |
11 |
Passive IR (G), Image Intensification (G) |
Enclosed |
Kaya Logistics |
$26,043 |
D, A |
4.54 tons |
10.4 tons |
3 |
7 |
Headlights |
Enclosed |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
Kaya (Pintle-Mount) |
147/74 |
34/17 |
290 |
111 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10Sp HS6Sp
HR6* |
Kaya (RWS) |
143/72 |
33/15 |
290 |
114 |
CiH |
W(3) |
TF3 TS2
TR2 HF10Sp
HS6Sp HR6* |
Kaya Logistics |
167/84 |
39/20 |
290 |
92 |
Stnd |
W(3) |
HF10Sp HS6Sp
HR6** |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
Kaya (Pintle-Mount) |
None |
None |
MAG or M-2HB or Mk 19 AGL |
1700x7.62mm or 1000x.50 or 325x40mm Grenades |
Kaya (RWS) |
+3 |
Fair |
M-2HB or Mk 19 or 20mm Oerlikon KAA Autocannon |
1100x.50 or 355x40mm Grenades or 700x20mm |
Kaya Logistics |
None |
None |
MAG or M-2HB or Mk 19 AGL (C) |
1275x7.62mm or 750x.50 or 245x40mm Grenades |
*Floor AV is 6Sp.
**Floor AV is 6Sp. However, only
the cab is fully armored; the rear cargo section has drop sides which only cover
about one-quarter of the cargo section when raised, and these have an AV of 2,
and no roof AV.