President of Defence Industry Prof. Dr. İsmail Demir announced that the duplicate production and deliveries of the PULAT active protection system, developed by ASELSAN and TÜBİTAK SAGE, continue and he published a video about the process.
Demir’s explanation is as follows:
“Within the context of our Fırat M60T Modernization Project, we continue the duplicate production of the PULAT Active Protection System, its integration into our tanks and its delivery to our Land Forces Command. PULAT, which detects chemical-powered anti-tank weapons before they hit the tank, minimizing the armor-piercing effect of warheads; it consists of a combined radar and destruction system, a control unit and a power distribution unit.”
The PULAT Active Protection System, integrated into the M60T tanks modernized within the context of the Fırat M60T Project, detects the threats directed to the platform with its high-tech radar, then with its “Hard-Kill” capability, neutralizes the threat at the appropriate time and distance before it hits the platform. PULAT provides a full 360° shield covering all directions, depending on module placement, against anti-tank rockets launched from close range and anti-tank guided missiles launched from long distances. PULAT is an active protection system solution that can be adapted to many different types of armored vehicles thanks to its modular architecture, which can provide effectiveness against multiple threats at the same time thanks to the protection modules placed on the platform.
Active Protection Systems are separated from each other by the differences of radar, sensor and subsystems within the system. Despite the differences among systems, all systems have a purpose; it is the detection and stopping of the threat by the system before its physical contact. Theoretically, APS can be effective in platform defence against guided anti-tank munitions, RPG and its derivatives, HEAT or KE ammunition fired from tanks.
PULAT is a system that has been produced as a result of the losses in the operation “Euphrates Shield”, to get immediate results with the available means. In response to this urgent need, ASELSAN and TÜBİTAK SAGE developed the “PULAT” Active Protection System. Within the context of the Fırat M60T project, the PULAT active protection system was integrated into the tanks and the demand from the force was quickly met in this way.
ASELSAN keeps working on AKKOR, a much more advanced active protection system that it started before PULAT. Apart from AKKOR, Aselsan has launched a new project called KAMA.
ASELSAN KAMA Active Protection System Project
Active protection system development studies for various platforms are continued by the ASELSAN Defence System Technologies Sector and Radar and Electronic Warfare Systems Sector Presidencies, using the experience gained in sensors, weapons and ammunition. In this context, a work has been initiated to develop the KAMA Active Protection System, which has relatively low environmental damage and is effective at close range, together with its ammunition, with ASELSAN’s own resources.