TSAMTO, March 1st. On February 28, the Indonesian company PT Pindad officially handed over to the Indonesian Ministry of Defense the first batch of 10 Harimau medium tanks (indon. "Tiger").
As reported in the PT Pindad press release, the ceremony of handing over 52 units of various military equipment was attended by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who had previously held a meeting with the Commander of the Armed Forces, the Chief of the National Police and the chiefs of staff of all types of armed Forces.
The number of transferred 52 units of armored vehicles produced (assembled) at PT Pindad facilities included: 10 Harimau medium tanks, 3 Badak armored fighting vehicles, 10 Pandur BBM, 12 Anoa BBM, 7 armored vehicles of the class Komodo MRAP and 10 Maung SUVs.
As previously reported by TSAMTO, the Harimau medium tank (Turkish designation "Kaplan MT") was developed by the Turkish FNSS Savunma Sistemleri (a joint venture between Nurol Holdings and BAE Systems) with the participation of the Indonesian PT Pindad within the framework of the memorandum of understanding signed in 2014 by the governments of the two countries. The practical implementation of the project began in 2015, the first prototype was demonstrated in 2017.
In April 2019, the Indonesian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the state-owned PT Pindad company worth about $135 million for the supply of the country's first batch of 18 serial Harimau tanks. At the end of 2019, FNSS signed a contract with PT Pindad to support the joint production of these tanks.
Harimau prototypes have passed preliminary tests in both countries. Based on the collected data, FNSS made a number of changes and in August 2021 presented a production version that passed factory acceptance tests at the FNSS test site in Turkey. PT Pindad conducted the final fire tests of the vehicle at the training center of the Indonesian Army in February 2022, and the company announced the final acceptance tests on August 23, 2023.
The first 10 of the 18 Harimau tank hulls were shipped from Turkey to Indonesia for final assembly at the PT Pindad facility in Bandung in March 2022.
Initially, it was assumed that the first production tanks should be delivered to Indonesia either at the end of 2022 or at the beginning of 2023. Eight more tanks under the contract are to be assembled at the PT Pindad plant in Bandung with the participation of FNSS. All 18 tanks under the contract were planned to be delivered to Indonesia by the end of 2023.
Although it is currently unknown when additional tanks will be ordered, the total requirement of the Indonesian Armed Forces to replace the AMX-13 is estimated at 400 vehicles.
The Harimau tank, weighing 30-35 tons (depending on the armor configuration), is equipped with a 711 hp Caterpillar C13 diesel engine, an Allison/Caterpillar X300 automatic transmission, and a crew of 3 people. The maximum speed on the highway is 70 km/h, the fuel reserve is 450 km. It is stated that the Harimau is capable of overcoming vertical obstacles 0.9 m high, a moat 2.2 m wide, and water obstacles 1.2 m deep fording.
The tank is equipped with a Cockerill 3105 turret of the Belgian company CMI Defense with a 105 mm Cockerill 105 rifled cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun paired with it, a drum-type automatic loader for 12 shots. Another 30 shots are in the body of the car. The commander's 7.62mm machine gun is also mounted on the turret. The gun and turret guidance drives are electric. All 105 mm tank ammunition conforming to NATO standards can be used for firing.
According to FNSS, the tank provides high firepower and a high level of protection for the crew from small arms fire and mine explosions. The booking of the building meets the requirements of STANAG-4569 Level.5 (protection from fire from a 25 mm cannon with armor-piercing ammunition from a distance of 500 m). To increase security, the Pulat active protection system developed by the Turkish ASELSAN can be installed.
The vehicle is equipped with a computerized fire control system, stabilized daytime/thermal imaging sights of the commander and gunner, combat control systems, fire extinguishing, RCB protection and laser radiation warning, PU smoke grenades. The tank is capable of performing tasks at various altitudes, in conditions of high humidity and at temperatures from -18 to +55 degrees C.