Turkey Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
I believe there are two different Tayfun missiles being tested/used. This latest one is much longer than what we've seen on the two previously released footage of the Tayfun launches.
On the first footage, it presumably flew 561 km with Erdogan saying they are working on reaching 1000km. This latest missile could be the 1000km range one.
Take a look at the length of the canisters. Left pic is the older footage, the right was released today:
The canister on the left looks like it has the same size as the Bora's at 7,9m long. Meaning they more than doubled the range for the same size 280km*2=560 (+1) while the canister on the right is ~9,7m long. The missiles themselves have noticeable size differences too.
On the Cenk, it is much bigger (at least thicker) and equipped with a MARV. Its range will be longer than 1000km for sure, IMO ~1500km seeing as it resembles the Iranian Khaibar Shekan missile.
On the first footage, it presumably flew 561 km with Erdogan saying they are working on reaching 1000km. This latest missile could be the 1000km range one.
Take a look at the length of the canisters. Left pic is the older footage, the right was released today:
The canister on the left looks like it has the same size as the Bora's at 7,9m long. Meaning they more than doubled the range for the same size 280km*2=560 (+1) while the canister on the right is ~9,7m long. The missiles themselves have noticeable size differences too.
On the Cenk, it is much bigger (at least thicker) and equipped with a MARV. Its range will be longer than 1000km for sure, IMO ~1500km seeing as it resembles the Iranian Khaibar Shekan missile.
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IIRC, Tayfun uses Belorussian VOLAT trucks, modified in Turkiye and used under the name "BOZAT".
Bora uses mainly MAN Trucks.
Thanks. That was unexpected. So Belarus has now proliferated this sort of technology to both China and Turkey. And China has proliferated it to North Korea.
It isn't trivial to make these sorts of vehicles. The US had a lot of failures in a similar program by Oshkosh in the late Cold War. And Russia has thus far failed to make a replacement for Belarus heavy all terrain wheeled vehicles used in the ballistic missile launchers and other heavy military vehicles. Thus far two Russian companies have failed at it. Kurgan Wheel Tractor Plant (bankrupt), and KamAZ.
It isn't trivial to make these sorts of vehicles. The US had a lot of failures in a similar program by Oshkosh in the late Cold War. And Russia has thus far failed to make a replacement for Belarus heavy all terrain wheeled vehicles used in the ballistic missile launchers and other heavy military vehicles. Thus far two Russian companies have failed at it. Kurgan Wheel Tractor Plant (bankrupt), and KamAZ.
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As a ex BMC employee i can say that it is not a matter of techical inability but production volume. In Turkey there are 4 companies capable of producing 6x4 raw ore haulers, 2 of which also produces 8x4 chassis for special projects. German firms are not eligible because of erratic behaviour of their government. So that leaves BMC and Ford (OTOSAN). Both of these firms will not give a bid unless the order is large enough to cover extra engineering work and military grade testing. Most probably this is also true with kurgan and kamaz. I reckon unless Belarussians do some major mistake, they will contine to dominate this niche market.
Russia does produce 8x8 vehicles like BAZ-6909 which is used in S-400 system. It is just that those systems are not nearly as mobile or rugged. Do the ore haulers have central tire inflation systems? That is one of the basic requirements for a military wheeled vehicle.
It can be installed but we found it detrimetal to performance and dangerous when operating with full load. Lighter trucks like Kirpi have it. Miners tend to abuse these trucks a lot by overloading them so they are already overengineered and they can negotiate off-road as long as ground is hard. Moreover as missile carriers they are unlikely to involve in close combat.