I don't think those will be unmanned ones. Important part of the modernization package are systems improving the comfort of the crew. Those are stop gap solution until the YNHZA project is finished so the Land Forces gain some minor but important capabilities as this is still an improvement over what we have right now.They want to use it as heavy remote fighting vehicle, i think thats the main plan. Now, it can only be remoted from 5-6 km away max, but they plan to add new cheap sattelite communication in the future or simple communicating through other uavs. Guys try to think little innovative, after all these years i dont know why you still dont trust SSM.
There are freaking 30.000 of these vehicles in the world, huge export possibilities
134 ACV-15s will be modernized with 25mm NEFER unmanned stabilized weapon station, laser warning system, close range surveillance system, driver's vision system, navigation system, CBRN system, commander, gunner, personnel, driver display panels, protection lining, armor, air conditioning system, automatic fire extinguishing system etc. The modernization's completion target is 2024.
When it comes to Heavy Class Unmanned Ground Vehicles there is still a lot of work needed for the optimal integration of these systems in the structure of TSK.
As we know TSK is in the works for creating a unit that will be composed solely by UGVs and TSK is working closely with the companies related to this project so they can get some things straight like role definition concepts, capabilities, sub-systems.
Suppliers in close coordination with SSB and the Turkish Land Forces are working over 5 definition concepts with different capabilities and this is a very difficult task.
In order the system to be good enough for the current and future battle environment SSB-Turkish Land Forces required autonomous capabilities at certain levels.
After all the work over the theoretic capabilities, role concepts, needed sub-systems, suppliers will integrate all the needed systems to their platforms and practical tests will commence within the existing concepts and the tactical needs of the Turkish Land Forces.
At first the developed system packages for the different roles of these UGVs will be integrated to existing platforms like the FNSS Suvari or the Havelsan Kapgan for example. First deliveries are expected in 2023.
The Turkish Land Forces will test these new UGVs within their 5 main concepts and after that with the feedback given to the supplier companies the project will evolve, new capabilities will be added or existing ones will be optimized, platforms with new designs will come out and we will see an evolution of tactics, platforms, human-UGV/AI interaction on the battlefield. It will really be something spectacular to see how this evolves and how it changes the current rules on the battlefield.