Otokar and Leonardo have completed integration work and live firing trials of the Tulpar medium tank fitted with Leonardo’s HITFACT MkII 120 mm turret, a configuration intended to combine main battle tank-level firepower with the mobility, protection and modular tracked architecture of the Turkish platform, the companies stated.
Before any rounds were fired, engineering teams from both firms carried out an integration programme covering the mechanical, electrical, electronic and software interfaces between the hull and the turret. Functional checks, safety inspections and system validation activities followed, and the companies said these confirmed the performance, reliability and interoperability of the integrated system.
The vehicle then moved on to a series of live firing trials conducted under both static and dynamic conditions, in which the integrated weapon system was assessed across a range of representative operational scenarios. According to the two manufacturers, the weapon system, fire control system, stabilisation performance and overall system functionality met all planned test objectives. They added that the campaign validated Tulpar’s growth potential and its flexibility for future mission requirements.
Sedef Vehbi, Military Cluster Head at Otokar, said in the joint press release:
“The successful completion of this programme demonstrates TULPAR’s capability to integrate advanced large-calibre turret systems while delivering the mobility, survivability and firepower required by modern armed forces. It also reflects Otokar’s engineering excellence and our commitment to developing modular architecture, enabling rapid integration of mission-specific weapon systems to meet diverse operational requirements of our customers. This achievement reinforces the strong engineering collaboration between Otokar and Leonardo and highlights the capability of both companies to deliver integrated, high-performance land combat solutions for international users.”
Luca Perazzo, Deputy Managing Director of Leonardo’s Defence Systems Business Area, was also quoted in the release:
“We are pleased with the outcome and proud to showcase the technological excellence of our systems. The integration of our HITFACT MkII turret onto the Tulpar further demonstrates turret’s modularity. The HITFACT turret is currently the only system in the world equipped with a 120 mm smoothbore gun offering the same firepower as an MBT system, while being capable of being integrated onto a light or medium platform and of employing the new guided Vulcano 120 ammunition for precision-guided engagements. This turret is just one of the weapon systems that Leonardo is able to offer today, alongside the HITFIST family of medium-calibre turrets, which can be equipped with Leonardo’s proprietary 30 mm X-GUN technology.”
Tulpar is Otokar’s modular tracked armoured combat vehicle family, and its scalable design covers a gross vehicle weight range of 28 to 45 tonnes. Otokar says the common architecture allows a high degree of hull and subsystem commonality across variants, and that the vehicle can be configured for roles including medium tank, infantry fighting vehicle, fire support, air defence, mortar carrier, recovery and medical evacuation. The company also states that the platform has been tested in demanding climatic and terrain conditions and offers high levels of ballistic and mine protection.
The HITFACT MkII itself is described by Leonardo as a lightweight, modular and fully digitalised turret, fitted with panoramic electro-optical sights for both the commander and the gunner. It can accommodate either a 105/52 mm rifled gun or a 120/45 mm low-recoil smoothbore gun, and Leonardo states that the design is qualified, in production and in operational service. The firm describes it as the first large-calibre turret carrying a high-pressure main battle tank gun that can be integrated on both wheeled and light tracked vehicles. For protection against uncrewed aerial threats, the turret can also be fitted with the HItrole counter-UAS remote weapon station mounting Leonardo’s new Blaze 30×113 gun.
Otokar, part of Turkey’s Koç Group, produces 4×4, 6×6 and 8×8 tactical wheeled armoured vehicles, tracked armoured vehicles, uncrewed vehicles and turret systems from a 552,000 square metre production site in Sakarya that employs more than 3,500 people. The company has supplied military vehicles to NATO and the United Nations since the 1980s and says it has more than 33,000 military vehicles in service with over 80 users in around 50 countries. Leonardo, for its part, employs more than 62,000 people and reported new orders of €23.8 billion and consolidated revenues of €19.5 billion in 2025. Both companies said they intend to explore further cooperation opportunities.
