Engineering:Katmerciler Hızır

From HandWiki
Hızır / Ateş
Hızır4x4 zırhlı araç.jpg
Place of origin Turkey
Service history
Used byTurkish Armed Forces
Production history
DesignerKatmerciler
Aselsan
ManufacturerKatmerciler
Specifications
Mass16.000 kg (both versions)
Length5570 mm (Hızır), 6000 mm (Ateş)
Width2490 mm (Hızır), 2500 mm (Ateş)
Height2610 mm (Hızır), 2600 mm (Ateş)
Crew2 (commander, driver)
Passengers7 (Hızır), 4 (Ateş)

ArmourSTANAG 4569 Level 2
Main
armament
(optional) 7.62 mm caliber medium machine gun, or 12.7mm caliber heavy machine gun or 40 mm caliber grenade launcher (all operated from inside the vehicle through a remote-controlled system designed by Aselsan)
EngineCummins ISL 8.9-liter, inline-six cylinder, turbocharged, intercooled diesel
400 PS (298 kW) @ 2100 rpm
Transmissionsix-speed, fully automatic Allison 3000 Series
Suspensionfully independent with coil springs and shock absorbers
Ground clearance410 mm
Operational
range
700 km (435 miles) at cruising speed
Speed120 km/h
Steering
system
power-assisted, front axle

The Katmerciler Hızır (Turkish pronunciation: [kʰatˈmeɾˈdʒiːˈleɾ hɯzɯɾ]) is a family of MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) armoured personnel carriers designed and produced by Turkish company Katmerciler. Hızır is capable of carrying up to nine personnel and its various modifications can perform a wide variety of tasks, such as military personnel transportation, medical evacuation, engaging in armed combat, serving as a mobile command and control center or weapons carrier platform, conducting military reconnaissance and border patrol missions or providing CBRN defence.[1] The name Hızır is the Turkish variant of Khidr, a mystical Islamic figure described in the Quran as a guardian that aids those in distress.[citation needed]

Variants

The Ateş (Turkish pronunciation: [aˈteʃ ]; lit. "Flame"), Hızır's border patrol and reconnaissance variant,[2] operated by Turkish Land Forces, is a Hızır 4x4 vehicle integrated with Aselsan's high-tech reconnaissance,[3] surveillance systems and environmental monitoring radar.[4] The Ateş variant was designed to meet border security requirements set up by the European Union-funded project to "Supply Mobile Surveillance Units for Increasing Border Surveillance Capacity of Borders between Turkey and EU", which contributed 27.6 million euros, or 75% of the project's cost.[5] Ateş can carry out reconnaissance and surveillance missions in day and night conditions with a range of 40 km. It can carry up to six personnel, two of which are crew (driver and commander).[6]

The Hızır II (or Hızır 2) was unveiled at the İDEF defence expo in August 2021.[7] It features a redesigned exterior, two side doors instead of Hızır I's four-door design, increased crew capacity (up to fourteen occupants compared to nine in Hızır I) due to new face-to-face seating configuration in the passenger compartment, rear ramp in place of previous model's swing door, larger fuel tank, extended operational range and improved air conditioning system.[8]

Operators

  •  Turkey: 57 Hızır 4x4 Ateş border patrol variants operated by Turkish Land Forces[9]
  •  Kenya: 118 Hızır 4x4 MRAPs ordered to be operated by Kenya Defence Forces.[10][11]
  •  Uruguay: 1 Hızır 4x4 Ateş procured in October 2021 to be used by the Uruguay Mechanized Infantry Unit under the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force mission.[12][13]
  •  Gambia: 20 Hızır 4x4 MRAPs ordered to be operated by Gambia Armed Forces.[14] Deliveries began in October 2022, with first few examples already accepted into service.[15] Besides the 20 purchased vehicles the Turkish government donated 2 additional Hızır MRAPs to the Gambian Armed Forces in November 2022.[16][17]
  •  Rwanda: Both Hızır MRAP and Ateş border patrol variants on order to be operated by Rwanda Defence Force.[18]

Potential Users

  •  Uganda: While the sale was never officially announced, at least 15 such vehicles are rumored to be in possession of Uganda People's Defence Force after the company released a statement about exporting MRAPs to an unnamed "African customer" in July 2019 along with a photo of 15 Hızırs being loaded onto a ship, later followed by video emerging of at least a dozen Hızır 4x4 vehicles driving through the streets of Uganda in early 2021.[19][20][21]

References

  1. "Products ___ Katmerciler". http://www.katmerciler.com.tr/L/EN/mid/343/g/343/c/31/id/61/HIZIR-4x4-Tactical-Wheeled-Armoured-Vehicle.htm. 
  2. "Products ___ Katmerciler". http://www.katmerciler.com.tr/L/EN/mid/343/g/343/c/31/id/85/ATES---Armoured-Border-Security-Vehicle.htm. 
  3. "observer sub system". https://www.defenceturk.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Askeri-Sahada-Z%C4%B1rhl%C4%B1-Ara%C3%A7larda-Radar-Teknolojisi-Kullan%C4%B1m%C4%B1-1.png. 
  4. Alemdar, Ahmet (2020-05-04). "Katmerciler ve Aselsan güvenlik güçlerine 'ATEŞ' teslimatlarını tamamladı" (in tr). https://www.defenceturk.net/katmerciler-ve-aselsan-guvenlik-guclerine-ates-teslimatlarini-tamamladi. 
  5. "Funding for surveillance vehicles along the EU-Turkey border". https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/P-9-2020-001408_EN.html. 
  6. Alemdar, Ahmet (2020-05-04). "Katmerciler ve Aselsan güvenlik güçlerine 'ATEŞ' teslimatlarını tamamladı" (in tr). https://www.defenceturk.net/katmerciler-ve-aselsan-guvenlik-guclerine-ates-teslimatlarini-tamamladi. 
  7. https://www.raillynews.com/2021/08/katmerciler-at-the-idef21-fair-with-its-four-armored-vehicles%2C-where-it-introduced-the-two-for-the-first-time/
  8. "Commercial Vehicles ___ Katmerciler". http://www.katmerciler.com.tr/L/EN/mid/343/g/343/c/31/id/96/HIZIR-II-4x4-Mine-Resistant-Ambush-Protected-(MRAP).htm. 
  9. "Katmerciler ve Aselsan güvenlik güçlerine 'ATEŞ' teslimatlarını tamamladı". Defence Turk. https://www.defenceturk.net/katmerciler-ve-aselsan-guvenlik-guclerine-ates-teslimatlarini-tamamladi. 
  10. "Turkish Hizir vehicles exported to East Africa" (in en). https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/turkish-hizir-vehicles-exported-to-east-africa. 
  11. "KDF to buy 118 top military vehicles to fight al Shabaab" (in en-KE). https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2021-01-24-kdf-to-buy-118-top-military-vehicles-to-fight-al-shabaab/. 
  12. https://www.defensa.com/uruguay/ejercito-uruguayo-incorpora-dos-blindados-turcos-katmerciler
  13. "El Ejército de Uruguay recibe dos blindados para su despliegue en Siria". https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3234350/ejercito-uruguay-recibe-nuevos-blindados-equipo-especial-mision-siria. 
  14. "GAMBIA : Banjul orders Turkish Katmerciler APCs to bolster its peacekeeping contingents - 24/08/2021". 24 August 2021. http://www.africaintelligence.com/west-africa/2021/08/24/banjul-orders-turkish-katmerciler-apcs-to-bolster-its-peacekeeping-contingents,109686670-art. 
  15. "Gambiya Ordusu'na HIZIR zırhlı araç teslimatı". 17 October 2022. https://www.defenceturk.net/gambiya-ordusuna-hizir-zirhli-arac-teslimati. 
  16. "Turkey donates Katmerciler Hizir MRAP to Gambia – Military Africa". http://www.military.africa/2022/11/turkey-donates-katmerciler-hizir-mrap-to-gambia. 
  17. http://twitter.com/oryxspioenkop/status/1601537777602285568
  18. https://x.com/factsonrwanda/status/1431641776608235528
  19. "Uganda could be the customer of Hizir 4x4 armored from Katmerciler of Turkey | Defense News January 2021 Global Security army industry | Defense Security global news industry army year 2021 | Archive News year". https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_january_2021_global_security_army_industry/uganda_could_be_the_customer_of_hizir_4x4_armored_from_katmerciler_of_turkey.html. 
  20. Martin, Guy (2021-01-14). "Uganda revealed as Hizir APC customer" (in en-ZA). https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/uganda-revealed-as-hizir-apc-customer/. 
  21. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine{{cbignore} media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQ8_8GyFOKA%7C title = Heavy military presence in Kampala ahead of polls | website=YouTube}}