TR Land Vehicle Programs

Yasar_TR

Experienced member
Staff member
Administrator
Messages
3,276
Reactions
147 16,482
Nation of residence
United Kingdom
Nation of origin
Turkey
Our Tanok missile, still being developed by Roketsan, is for launching from 120mm smooth bore guns. It is 11kg in weight, 984mm in length. It has a range of 1-6 km; most importantly it can attack tanks from top.
Lahat is the Israeli version of Tanok. Fully operational Lahat is 105mm in diameter and can be launched from 105mm and 120mm smooth bore guns. It is 13 kg and 975mm in length with an effective range of 8 km. Lahat probably has a heavier explosive content.
Both missiles have Semi Active Laser guidance.
It is rather perplexing why Roketsan is not developing this missile so it can be launched from a 105mm smooth bore guns? Especially when we have thousands of these guns in our tank inventory and the main medium and light tank gun is 105mm all around the world. Even US marines are now opting for medium tanks with 105mm guns.
Ukraine too has a similar missile called Konus. This missile has a range of 5km and its CEP at this range is less than 0.5m. It is for use in 120mm smooth bore guns. it is said it can go through 800mm of RHA.
Turkish army is supposedly buying a number of Konus missiles from Ukraine until Tanok is operational.
 
A

adenl

Guest
It is rather perplexing why Roketsan is not developing this missile so it can be launched from a 105mm smooth bore guns? Especially when we have thousands of these guns in our tank inventory and the main medium and light tank gun is 105mm all around the world.
Perhaps it has to do something with the laser rangefinders on the M60A3's and M48A5T2's which is not suited for high repetition laser pulses needed to guide the missile. Perhaps the M60T and leopard 1T and leopard 2 can because of an (upgraded) gunners sight which incorporates a ND-YAG (and/or CO2?) laser which are suited for high rate of pulses instead of the ruby based laser range finders of the M60A3(TTS) and M48A5T2.

There are curretnly 170 Leopard 1T with modern laser rangefinder that could use a SAL missile. But seeing as Turkey is a bit of a late comer in these guidance and missile systems, they weren't able to develop such a slender missile like the LAHAT, or they could but didn't felt the need for it as only 170 105mm tank guns could theoretically fire them and it would mean a costly upgrade to the 1900+ 105mm tank fleet for it to fire the missile.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Yasar_TR

Experienced member
Staff member
Administrator
Messages
3,276
Reactions
147 16,482
Nation of residence
United Kingdom
Nation of origin
Turkey
Perhaps it has to do something with the laser rangefinders on the M60A3's and M48A5T2's which is not suited for high repetition laser pulses needed to guide the missile. Perhaps the M60T and leopard 1T and leopard 2 can because of an (upgraded) gunners sight which incorporates a ND-YAG (and/or CO2?) laser which are suited for high rate of pulses instead of the ruby based laser range finders of the M60A3(TTS) and M48A5T2.

There are curretnly 170 Leopard 1T with modern laser rangefinder that could use a SAL missile. But seeing as Turkey is a bit of a late comer in these guidance and missile systems, they weren't able to develop such a slender missile like the LAHAT, or they could but didn't felt the need for it as only 170 105mm tank guns could theoretically fire them and it would mean a costly upgrade to the 1900+ 105mm tank fleet for it to fire the missile.
Good explanation and sorted out the question mark in my head! Thanks!
This explanation also makes Brave Janissary’s solution number 1, immaterial!
 
Last edited:
A

adenl

Guest
Are you sure that rangefinders are used as laser source for guidance?
The only thing I've come across laser rangefinders planned to be used as a means to guide a missile was in a congressional report where a US colonel was questioned about the laser rangefinder on the M1 Abrams. The colonel said according to the report that ND:YAG and CO2 lasers where superior to the Ruby ones on the M60A3 because of their possibility to be used as a laserdesignator. You have to excuse me for not having that report at hand but I'll try and find it for you.
 
T

Turko

Guest
Adding an additional laser designator which is app 10kg wouldnt be harder than converting old tanks into IFV.
 

Huelague

Experienced member
Messages
4,075
Reactions
6 4,267
Nation of residence
Germany
Nation of origin
Turkey
Our Tanok missile, still being developed by Roketsan, is for launching from 120mm smooth bore guns. It is 11kg in weight, 984mm in length. It has a range of 1-6 km; most importantly it can attack tanks from top.
Lahat is the Israeli version of Tanok. Fully operational Lahat is 105mm in diameter and can be launched from 105mm and 120mm smooth bore guns. It is 13 kg and 975mm in length with an effective range of 8 km. Lahat probably has a heavier explosive content.
Both missiles have Semi Active Laser guidance.
It is rather perplexing why Roketsan is not developing this missile so it can be launched from a 105mm smooth bore guns? Especially when we have thousands of these guns in our tank inventory and the main medium and light tank gun is 105mm all around the world. Even US marines are now opting for medium tanks with 105mm guns.
Ukraine too has a similar missile called Konus. This missile has a range of 5km and its CEP at this range is less than 0.5m. It is for use in 120mm smooth bore guns. it is said it can go through 800mm of RHA.
Turkish army is supposedly buying a number of Konus missiles from Ukraine until Tanok is operational.
Its useable as MANPAD ,too.
 
T

Turko

Guest
I guess this is very good reason not to use Tanok or Lahat like missiles!! M63, the 105mm main gun of M60 is “rifled”
We had already discussed it. Ukraine produces Falarick laser guided missiles for rifled 105 mm guns.
Cockerill CMİ 105mm turrets use it.


 

Yasar_TR

Experienced member
Staff member
Administrator
Messages
3,276
Reactions
147 16,482
Nation of residence
United Kingdom
Nation of origin
Turkey
There is a lot to share with and learn from these Ukrainians. I hope MKEK or Roketsan start developing these with our neighbour across the water.
 

Bogeyman 

Experienced member
Professional
Messages
9,192
Reactions
67 31,256
Website
twitter.com
Nation of residence
Turkey
Nation of origin
Turkey
MSB Hulusi Akar announced that the power package (MTU engine, Renk gearbox) for the Firtina-2 howitzers was received from Germany and mass production will begin in January 2021.
 

Anmdt

Experienced member
Naval Specialist
Professional
Messages
5,540
Solutions
2
Reactions
119 25,155
Nation of residence
Turkey
Nation of origin
Turkey
MSB Hulusi Akar announced that the power package (MTU engine, Renk gearbox) for the Firtina-2 howitzers was received from Germany and mass production will begin in January 2021.
The same units (Fırtına) were used in Syria and Libya,
Now it starts to smell bad, that some people are claiming Altay powerpack is not being approved by Germany.
 

Khagan1923

Contributor
Messages
1,034
Reactions
14 4,469
Nation of residence
Germany
Nation of origin
Turkey
The same units (Fırtına) were used in Syria and Libya,
Now it starts to smell bad, that some people are claiming Altay powerpack is not being approved by Germany.

This is getting weird. Germany was also blocking the Powerpack for Firtina-2 and now they approve it? Why?

There were even credible news going around that Turkey was looking at alternatives e.g. Britain and the Ukraine?!

Some would argue Firtina is even a more devastating weapon in Syria than Altay could ever hope to be...
 

Yasar_TR

Experienced member
Staff member
Administrator
Messages
3,276
Reactions
147 16,482
Nation of residence
United Kingdom
Nation of origin
Turkey
MSB Hulusi Akar announced that the power package (MTU engine, Renk gearbox) for the Firtina-2 howitzers was received from Germany and mass production will begin in January 2021.
I have very carefully listened to this speech. He says Germans MTU vs were not giving engines. But now engines and transmissions are coming and production will start. He does not say MTU and Renk are giving the engines and transmission.
It could be another source for the Firtina2 engines and transmission. He did not clarify it.
 

Follow us on social media

Top Bottom