Turkey to export military vehicle remote control system

By Aysenur Saglam

ANKARA (AA) - 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 said.

Ankara-based company's deputy General Manager Ozgur Derebasi told Anadolu Agency on Tuesday that the company's armored wheeled loader Tosun, used by the Turkish army in the country's cross border operations, 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 -- whose production 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.

Derebasi said Tosun was able to shatter and remove concrete roadblocks in operations and it was one of the vehicles of this company being used in Turkey's Operation Olive Branch launched in Syria's northwestern Afrin region on Jan. 20.

"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 were very successful against serious threats on the ground in that they were 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.

Derebasi said Pusat was especially effective for search and rescue operations in narrow streets and ruined areas.

He also talked about Boru, another product of Best Grup.

Boru has been designed for police and special operations units, for transfer of personnel, VIP transfer and also help command and control vehicles and weapon carriers.

Operating in security and defense industry fields, Best Grup produces remote controlled armored vehicles, armored personnel carriers, armor for SUVs and vans, armored construction vehicles, armed operation robots and unmanned land and aerial vehicles as well as their remote control systems.