Turkey received the first self-propelled Firtina II self-propelled howitzers of its own production with German propulsion systems and a firing range of 40 kilometres

The Turkish Army is beginning to arm itself with domestically produced Firtina II self-propelled howitzers. The first artillery units have already been handed over to the military.

Here's What We Know

The Turkish Ministry of Defence launched a programme to acquire new artillery systems. The ground forces have received two Firtina II self-propelled howitzers and the same number of more will be delivered by the end of 2023.

The first batch includes 10 self-propelled artillery systems. They will be equipped with the company's German engines. From 2025, the combat vehicles will use exclusively Turkish-made powerplants.

The Firtina II is a modification of the Korean K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer. It has received Turkish communication and fire control systems that meet NATO standards. The range of fire is 40 kilometres.

The howitzer can be equipped with a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher, as well as machine guns of 7.62 mm and 12.7 mm calibre. In addition, the combat vehicle will be equipped with a laser rangefinder and thermal imaging sight.

Source: SavunmaSanayiST