Turkish tanks in Afrin to get indigenous protection system: Defense Minister

ANKARA – Anadolu Agency

National Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli on March 7 said a domestically produced protection system would be used for tanks in Turkey’s ongoing “Operation Olive Branch.”

“We will begin to install the PULAT [protection] system in our tanks participating in the Afrin operation by the end of this month or beginning of April,” Canikli said, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Canikli said the system would not only be limited to tanks, but would also be adapted to other armored vehicles in the future.

“The PULAT is the turning point for the Turkish defense industry,” he said.

The PULAT Active protection system, produced by Aselsan, Turkey’s leading defense contractor, detects anti-tank missiles or projectiles approaching and fends them off at optimum range.

It provides 360 degrees full protection against anti-tank guided missiles and rockets. The system can work effectively under extreme environmental conditions such as dust, mud, snow or rain.

On Jan. 20, Turkey launched “Operation Olive Branch” to clear Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militants from Syria’s northwestern Afrin district.