Defense Ministry Explained Why Turkish ARMA Was Flooded

Orda.kz previously reported that during the exercises at the Ili river in the Almaty region, the Turkish armored vehicle from the Otakar company almost sank. Representatives of the Ministry of Defense and the manufacturer reported that they did this intentionally.

According to representatives of the Astana Mpr Project, on June 8, the ARMA 8x8 with a combat module was tested for buoyancy and maneuvering on the water surface at the National Guard’s training ground. The water's depth was five meters. The next stage of experimental military operation was completed on August 23.

On August 24, representatives of the manufacturer of armored vehicles additionally conducted internal tests to determine the maximum capabilities of ARMA when overcoming water obstacles.

An emergency situation with flooding of the AWV in a surface water area with a strong current was modeled to determine scenarios for the development of events in case of failure of components and equipment, incorrect actions of the crew, the degree of malfunctions and the possibility of restoring the AWV. Also, the stability of the engine, electronics, engineering components to water, the crew's readiness to work out emergency procedures in case of flooding of the hatch, were tested, the company reported.

According to the Astana Mpr Project, when the ARMA was moved ashore, all electrical systems were operating normally.

Note that in the video that Orda.kz’s source sent, the Turkish armored vehicle is being towed by a heavy tracked vehicle over rough terrain. Why the ARMA vehicle is not moving itself is unknown.

The Ministry of Defense in response to Orda.kz’s request informed that the ARMA test model overcame the Ili River without any issues. When the vehicle was moving backwards, the hatch in the transmission compartment was not fixed intentionally in order to check the water’s effect inside the compartment and the power pack.

After restarting the engine, the crew evacuated with no problems. The AWV ARMA was towed ashore, after a system purge, the inspection continued. The department added that tests of new models, which are being considered for purchase, are carried out on an ongoing basis.

What Happened Before?

Orda’s editorial office has written about how the government had been preparing a decree for the purchase of 834 ARMA cars from the Turkish company Otakar. The purchase would have cost the budget about 2 trillion tenge.

The Ministry of Defense has denied this, announcing that “at present there are no agreements on the supply of armored vehicles by the Turkish side." The ministry added that the Turkish company’s armored vehicles are only one model that Kazakhstan is considering on equal terms. The government is also looking at other foreign analogues.

It is too early to say whether or not the ARMAs will be purchased. The Ministry only denied the information regarding purchasing 834 of them for 2 trillion tenge.

Last year, Orda.kz’s editorial board wrote about how the Ministry of Defense decided to purchase the Turkish counterpart of the Kazakhstani Cobra armored vehicle. The Ministry later distributed information to the media explaining the expediency of purchasing equipment from Otakar. The Association of Enterprises of the Military-Industrial Complex of Kazakhstan in turn broke down the Ministry of Defense’s statement.

Original Author: Maria Gorbokonenko

DISCLAIMER: This is a translated piece. The text has been modified, the content is the same. Please refer to the original piece in Russian for accuracy.