Following the contract signed between PT Pindad and the Indonesian Ministry of Defense to meet the Indonesian army’s requirement for a 30-ton class tracked armoured personnel carrier, the first KAPLAN APC (HARIMAU APC) was manufactured at FNSS facilities under the “KAPLAN Armoured Personnel Carrier (KAPLAN APC) Development and Production Agreement” signed between PT Pindad and FNSS. The vehicle’s pre-delivery acceptance tests were successfully carried out in Türkiye with the participation of PT Pindad.
Following the shipment of the HARIMAU APC to Indonesia, final acceptance tests will be carried out together with the end user. Production activities for the second vehicle, to be manufactured at PT Pindad’s facilities in Indonesia, are also continuing at the same time.
The KAPLAN APC (HARIMAU APC) Project, a continuation of the success achieved in the KAPLAN MT (HARIMAU) Project, has once again demonstrated FNSS’s experience and success in technology transfer and local production.
KAPLAN APC
The KAPLAN APC will be the new member of FNSS KAPLAN tracked armored vehicle family; an armored personnel carrier, designed by FNSS to meet the requirements of future battlefields. Its design architecture will feature advanced ballistic protection, best-in-class mine protection systems, and formidable firepower, ensuring superior survivability in combat scenarios. The KAPLAN APC will exemplify FNSS’s experience and superiority in tracked armored vehicle design and will incorporate all enhancements made during the development of the Kaplan MT.
The structural design will enable the vehicle to accommodate a crew of 13 personnel, including driver, commander, and a gunner. The vehicle will be developed to operate under all terrain and weather conditions. Its advanced suspension system will reduce internal vibration and improve traction. The vehicle will feature an open architecture electronics infrastructure, facilitating easy integration of various mission-critical systems, including a Battlefield Management System and 360° Situational Awareness System that provides both day and night vision for the crew.
The KAPLAN APC will be equipped with modular protection systems to effectively counter evolving battlefield challenges, providing unique protection against ballistic and mine threats. In addition to its high personnel carrying capacity, the KAPLAN APC will be designed as the fastest vehicle in its class. Additionally, based on user requirements, the KAPLAN APC can be optionally fitted with an active protection system to defend against anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenades.
The vehicle will be equipped with an automatic fire suppression system, an A/C system, and a CBRN system, achieved through maintaining a sealed internal environment. These features will be designed to ensure the crew’s survival and maintain their combat effectiveness in the most challenging conditions.
The KAPLAN APC will be designed as a modular vehicle capable of integrating both manned and unmanned turret systems. It can be equipped with light and medium calibers such as 30 mm or 35 mm as well as 120 mm mortars and anti-tank guided missile systems.
This modular design will enable the KAPLAN APC to be configured for a wide array of missions, including mechanized infantry, reconnaissance, command and control, force protection, medical evacuation, rescue operations, combat engineering, and both direct and indirect fire support.
All these configurations are built on an armored combat vehicle platform that is equipped with a powerful engine and an automatic transmission, ensuring mobility capabilities compatible with modern main battle tanks.
The extensive use of identical parts and subsystems in the KAPLAN APC, with KAPLAN MT and other configurations within the KAPLAN tracked vehicle family, will offer significant advantages. Additionally, the vehicle will share common subsystems with the Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicle (ZAHA), which FNSS has deployed to the Turkish Naval Forces Marine Infantry Brigade. These features will ensure the KAPLAN APC’s reliability, logistical integration, and ease of service, leveraging proven components from a battle-proven vehicle family used by the Turkish and Indonesian armies. This advantage will also reduce logistical burdens for global users, improve mean time between failures (MTBF), and enhance combat readiness.
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