Turkey’s FNSS Savunma Sistemleri (FNSS) has been awarded a contract to provide an undisclosed number of Kunduz Armoured Combat Earthmovers (AACEs) to the Philippine military, according to a 10 February report by the Turkish state-owned Anadolu Agency (AA).
Turkey’s FNSS has been awarded a contract to provide an undisclosed number of Kunduz AACEs to the Philippine military, according to an Anadolu Agency news report. (FNSS)
The media outlet quoted FNSS General Manager Nail Kurt as saying that the order placed by the Philippines will mark the first export of the Kunduz AACE, adding that other contracts may also be signed as “they [the Philippines also] need similar products”.
The AACE is described by its manufacturer as an “amphibious, armoured, tracked, combat earthmover” designed for the preparation of river banks for river crossings. According to FNSS, the vehicle is capable of performing bulldozing, rough grading, excavating, hauling, and scraping operations.
The AA news report came after FNSS announced on 6 February that “mass production” of the Kaplan MT Modern Medium Weight Tank (MMWT), which was developed in partnership with Indonesian land systems company PT Pindad, began in December 2019.
As part of an agreement signed at the IDEF 2019 defence and aerospace show in Istanbul, an initial 18 Kaplan MTs are set to be built, with 10 of the tanks expected to be constructed in Turkey and the remaining eight in Indonesia, where the platform is known as Harimau (Tiger). No details were provided about the delivery schedule.
According to PT Pindad, the Indonesian Army, which has already trialled the platform, has a requirement for 400 Kaplan MTs to replace the service’s depleted fleets of French-made AMX-13 light tanks, which originally numbered more than 300.
PT Pindad has also told Jane’s
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