Turkey to export military vehicle remote control system

ANKARA - Anadolu Agency

A Turkish defense company, Best Grup, is set to export its military vehicle’s remote control systems to the U.S. and the UAE in the near future, an executive of the company has stated.

The Ankara-based company’s deputy General Manager Özgür Derebaşı told state-run Anadolu Agency on Feb. 27 that the company’s armored wheeled loader Tosun, currently being used by the Turkish army in the ongoing cross-border operation into Syria’s Afrin, was highly effective on the ground.

“We will start exporting its remote control system to the U.S. and the United Arab Emirates in the next three months,” Derebasi said, adding that Tosun – the production of which is six times less costly than its foreign peers - had been on the ground for three years.

One hundred percent locally-produced, Tosun is an unmanned armored land vehicle with a ballistic protection characteristic and has a remote control feature so it can be used without an operator. Equipped with a digger, Tosun’s ballistically protected parts are the operator cabin, the engine section, the fuel tank and the tires.

Derebaşı said Tosun was able to shatter and remove concrete roadblocks in operations and it was one of the vehicles being used in “Operation Olive Branch” in Afrin.

“After the U.S. and Israel, we are the third country that uses remote-controlled military vehicles in operations,” he said.

“Currently, there are 85 Tosuns taking part in Turkey’s anti-terror operations. As part of ‘Operation Olive Branch,’ we are actively involved on the ground with 43 vehicles. Our policy is based on technology export rather than import,” he said, adding that the armored vehicles Tosun and Pusat are able to continue operating even after being shot by rockets.

Also locally-made, Pusat is a light tactical and four-wheeled armored vehicle used in anti-terror operations and can be fitted with different weapons systems.

Developed by Tumosan, a diesel engine and tractor manufacturer, Pusat was unveiled at the 13th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) held between May 9-12, 2017 in Istanbul.