TSAMTO, March 29th. The Turkish company FNSS Savunma Sistemleri A.S. sent a new medium tank "Kaplan MT" (Kaplan MT; known in the Indonesian Armed Forces as "Harimau") to Brazil for testing as part of the ongoing tender.
As SavunmaSanayiST reported, citing information from Turkish customs, the shipped Kaplan MT is armed with a 105 mm Cockerill 3105 cannon from the Belgian company John Cockerill Defense.
It is expected that the sample for evaluation tests will arrive in Brazil in mid-April. In addition to the competitive evaluation, the tank is also scheduled to be presented at the Cavalry Festival, a national traditional event in Tramandai (Rio Grande do Sul State), in May 2024. After the festival, the Kaplan MT will be sent to the armored vehicles training center in Santa Maria for fire tests.
Recall that the command of the Marine Corps of the Brazilian Navy plans to replace by 2032 the fleet of outdated light tanks SK-105A2S "Cuirassier", armed with a 105 mm cannon, a paired 7.62mm medium machine gun and a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
The project to purchase a new medium tank is part of the "Strategic Marine Combat Capability Program" (PROADSUMUS), designed for 2020-2040. Of the 17 SK-105A2S Cuirassier tanks purchased for the Marine Corps Armored Battalion (FFE) in 1998, about half remain in service at the moment. Up to 17 new medium tanks can be purchased to replace them.
As already 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. PT Pindad officially handed over the first batch of 10 Harimau tanks to the Indonesian Defense Ministry on February 28, 2024.
The tank weighing 30-35 tons (depending on the armor configuration) is equipped with a Caterpillar C13 diesel engine with a capacity of 711 hp, 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 from 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 can meet 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.
