FNSS ACV-15 (TIFV,
ACV-300)
Notes: The
ACV-15, also known as the TIFV (Turkish Infantry Fighting Vehicle), entered
service in the early 1990s. The ACV-15 is based on the European AIFV, and is the
same in many details as that vehicle. It
is not, in the strictest sense, an Infantry Fighting Vehicle, despite its name,
as it has neither heavy caliber armament nor antitank missiles.
The ACV-15 is being partially replaced/supplemented by the ACV-S; this
process started in the late 1990s.
In addition to Turkey, the ACV-15 is used by the UAE (the ACV-S version only),
Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Several APC-type version exist as well as a mortar vehicle and an ATGM carrier
as an ARV. Virtually all components of the ACV-15 are license-produced in Turkey
(or in Malaysia, in the case of Malaysian vehicles; they are built by Pekan).
The Turkish have nearly 1700 of these in service, plus 665 ACV-Ss; the UAE have
136, and Malaysia has 211 (in a bewildering array of variants). The Filipinos
have only seven. The Jordanians have ordered the ACV-S, but have are not due to
receive their first until late 2010.
ACV-15s and ACV-Ss have seen combat service in Somalia, Bosnia and Kosovo
with UN peacekeeping forces fielded by Turkey, and in Turkey (and possibly
Northern Iraq) against Kurdish rebels.
The ACV-15
The ACV-15, in
general, uses a hull similar to the AIFV, though the armor is a bit better than
the AIFV, and some additional attention is paid to belly armor. The hull front
and sides incorporate spaced armament with ceramic sandwich panels.
The engine remains a Detroit Diesel 6V-53T developing 300 horsepower,
along with a fully automatic transmission along with a conventional driver’s
station. The ACV-15 is fully
amphibious, propelled in water by its tracks.
The sides of the hull have two firing ports each, and the rear has two
firing ports. The seats for the
troops extend down the center of the vehicle facing outwards, and the two rear
seats are facing towards the rear of the vehicles. The rear of the vehicle has a
powered ramp with a door in it.
The primary
differences in the different members of the ACV-15 family are primary in the
turrets (or the lack thereof), and to some extent the internal equipment
resulting from these differences. The basic, and most numerous in the Turkish
forces, APC version is the ACV-15 AAPC (Advanced Armored Personnel Carrier).
This version uses a light 1-man turret armed with an M-2HB heavy machinegun as
primary armament and a coaxial MAG machinegun.
This turret supplies the commander/gunner with basic night vision
equipment, fire control equipment including a ballistic computer, and one-plane
stabilization. The turret has a
cluster of three smoke grenade launchers on each side. Two the left of the
turret is a hatch for the vehicle commander; he has no weapon and no night
vision devices, but his hatch has vision blocks to the front, right, and rear.
The driver is in the front left, in front of the commander’s position. The
Malaysians use a version of this vehicle which is equipped only with the M-2HB
and a greater ammunition supply for the M-2HB.
The Malaysians also employ a version of this vehicle armed with a Mk 19
AGL instead of an M-2HB.
The ACV-300 AIFV
is similar to the European AIFV, but is equipped with a one-man turret mounting
a 25mm autocannon. The commander’s
position remains. Early Turkish versions used the French Giat M-811 autocannon
in a turret almost identical to that of the AIFV, but later versions use the
BAE-designed Sharpshooter turret equipped with the M-242 Bushmaster ChainGun and
having a slightly-lower, more angular profile incorporating spaced armor similar
to that used in the hull. The
Sharpshooter turret also adds a laser rangefinder and gives two-plane
stabilization for the main gun and coaxial machinegun.
The turret has a cluster of four smoke grenade launchers on each side.
Turkish versions have by 2010 all been upgraded to use the Sharpshooter turret,
but are still designated the ACV-15. The Turkish, Malaysians, UAE, and Filipinos
all use this version, though the Filipinos have only six of them (along with one
ARV version).
The ACV-15 – Additional APC-type Variants
The ACV-15 CPV
is the command version of the ACV-15; externally, it is an ACV-15 AAPC or AIFV
with the turret removed and replaced with a commander’s cupola that is armed
with an M-2HB, sometimes surrounded with AV2 gun shields.
The interior is quite different, with the sorts of things one might
expect to find in a CPV – one short-range, two medium-range, and two long-range
radios, one of which is data-capable.
The ACV-15 has a ruggedized laptop computer as well as a battlefield
management system (though not with the vehicle state system), with a linked GPS
system with an inertial navigation backup.
It also has a map board, various plotting and office-type supplies, and
various storage drawers. The side
firing ports are sealed off, though the rear firing ports remain.
The CPV has four seats for the radio operators and command crew, and a
folding table with three folding chairs.
An attached tent can be unfolded at the rear to increase working space.
In an armored box atop the vehicle is a 5kW APU to power the equipment when the
engine is turned off. This
generator can be removed and dug in to dampen noise, attached to the vehicle
with a slave cable. The commander’s
station of the CPV has a periscopic sight which includes an image intensifier
and a thermal imager, as well as a laser rangefinder. (They’re not useable,
however, as aiming devices for his machinegun.) The CPV’s smoke grenade
launchers are on either side of the upper glacis plate, in clusters of three
each.
The ACV-15 AMV
is an armored ambulance version. As
such, it has space in the rear for a medic and two stretcher cases plus four
seated patients. It also has a
small refrigerator for perishable medical supplies, a defibrillator, two sets of
oxygen administration kits, splint kits, and the equivalent of 20 personal
medical kits and two doctor’s medical bags. Like the CPV, the AMV’s smoke
grenade launchers are on either side of the upper glacis plate, in clusters of
three each. The AMV is normally
unarmed.
Big Brother – The ACV-S
The ACV-S (“S”
for Stretched) was at first called the ACV-NG (New Generation).
The ACV-S is, as the name suggests, an ACV-15 with an extra roadwheel at
the end of the hull, making it about a meter longer; it is also a little wider
than the ACV-15. This increases
available internal volume by 25%, and with the increased engine power, the cargo
carrying capability is also dramatically increased.
The layout of the vehicle is largely the same, but the new hull size and
configuration allows for a wider possible selection of turrets and armament.
There are three firing ports in the sides instead of two, though there
are still at the rear. All troop seats are down the center and face outwards.
The interior of the ACV-S is air conditioned, and it has a collective NBC system
for the troops and crew to hook up to when they are on board.
The driver remains in his front left position; whether there is a
commander’s position depends upon the turret configuration.
Armor is in general slightly bumped up from the ACV-15 version.
The powerpack is likewise upgraded, with the engine being an upgraded
version of the 6V-53T developing 350 horsepower.
(Turkey, Malaysia, the UAE, and Jordan are reportedly already considering
a further upgraded engine developing 400 horsepower; as this engine is also a
6V-53T version, this would be a simple drop-in upgrade.)
The suspension is also upgraded, both for the increased weight and
increased engine power. The vehicle’s larger size allows for larger fuel tanks.
An automatic fire detection and suppression system is standard.
Several versions
of the ACV-S are projected, ranging from several APC/IFV variants, ATGM
vehicles, SAM and AAA carriers, and specialist vehicles.
So far, only the version with the Sharpshooter turret has been ordered by
any country’s military forces (by Turkey, Malaysia, UAE, and Jordan).
As the exact designations of the various APC/IFV versions has not been
reported, I have labeled them below as “AFV 1,” “AFV 2,” “AFV 3,” etc.
The current
standard ACV-S version is topped with the Sharpshooter turret, as mounted on the
ACV-15 AIFV above. The vehicle’s
larger size allows the vehicle to carry more ammunition as well as a larger
infantry squad, and these are the primary differences from the ACV-15 other than
those listed above. The commander’s
position, as for the ACV-15 AIFV, is retained on this version, which I have
labeled “AFV 1” below. Variants of
this version include two with a two-man turret; this turret is a little lower
and wider, giving it a flat, saucer-shaped appearance.
These versions eliminate the separate commander’s hatch and put the
commander in the turret. This
version may be armed with the M-242 ChainGun or its 30mm variant, the M-230.
There is a slight increase in ammunition stowage. These are labeled AFV 2
and AFV 3 below.
Simpler variants
include the version I have labeled AFV 4, which has a version of the
British-made SWARM OHWS equipped with an M-2HB; this version, though not as
heavily-armed, has better night vision equipment.
The gunner sits in the hull with a downlinked monitor and controls for
the gun, and the gun can be aimed, fired, and reloaded from within the vehicle.
There is no hatch in the small turret.
The “AFV 5” version has a small turret (though larger than the SWARM
turret) with conventional night vision and a small hatch in the turret roof.
Both these versions have the commander’s station to the left of the turret.
The AFV 4 version uses a cluster of three smoke grenade launchers on
either side of the glacis plate near the top; the AFV 5 version has these
clusters on either side of the turret.
Perhaps the most
fantastic idea for the ACV-S has been the mounting of the entire Bachka turret
on the ACV-S hull – the same turret as used on the BMP-4, with the exception of
a MAG coaxial being mounted instead of a PKT.
This version is called the ACV-SW.
Though it has had no takers as of yet, it does show how far the ACV-S
platform could be taken. Of course,
the use of this turret substantially reduces the size of the infantry squad
which can be carried, and greatly increases the weight of the vehicle.
Twilight 2000
Notes: Being a new vehicle to Turkish service at the time of the Twilight War,
the ACV-15 was not fielded in as large numbers that they were fielded in real
life – the Turkish Army had about 800 of all variants in service at the start of
the War, with some 100 more being produced during the War.
The Turkish Army also managed to get about 100 ACV-Ss.
The Turkish Army opted to produce more of the heavier-armed versions with
the 25mm autocannons; some 70% of the total of ACV-15s were APC/IFV variants,
with some three-quarters being AIFV variants (only 10% being the early versions
with the Giat autocannons). Most of the ACV-S were of the AFV 3 variant (about
50 of the total), with the rest being AFV 2 versions and a few ATGM carrier
versions. No other country got the
ACV-15 or ACV-S during the Twilight 2000 timeline.
Vehicle |
Price |
Fuel Type |
Load |
Veh Wt |
Crew |
Mnt |
Night Vision |
Radiological |
ACV-15 AAPC |
$110,593 |
D, A |
1.15 tons |
13.5 tons |
3+8 |
6 |
Passive IR (D, C), Image Intensification
(C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-300
AAPC (Malaysian 1) |
$105,819 |
D, A |
1.15 tons |
13.5 tons |
3+8 |
6 |
Passive IR
(D, C), Image Intensification (C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-300
AAPC (Malaysian 2) |
$122,640 |
D, A |
1.15 tons |
13.5 tons |
3+8 |
6 |
Passive IR
(D, C), Image Intensification (C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-15 AIFV
(Early) |
$136,567 |
D, A |
1 ton |
14 tons |
3+8 |
6 |
Passive IR
(D, G, C), Image Intensification (G, C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-15 AIFV
(Late) |
$148,885 |
D, A |
1 ton |
14 tons |
3+8 |
6 |
Passive IR
(D, G, C), Image Intensification (G, C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-15 CPV |
$517,429 |
D, A |
860 kg |
12.6 tons |
3+5 |
9 |
Passive IR
(D), Thermal Imaging (C), Image Intensification (C), WL/IR Searchlight
(C) |
Shielded |
ACV-15 AMV |
$53,514 |
D, A |
860 kg |
12.5 tons |
** |
7 |
Passive IR
(D), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 1
(350 hp) |
$161,812 |
D, A |
1.7 tons |
20 tons |
3+10 |
10 |
Passive IR
(D, G, C), Image Intensification (G, C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 1
(400 hp) |
$162,003 |
D, A |
1.7 tons |
20 tons |
3+10 |
10 |
Passive IR
(D, G, C), Image Intensification (G, C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 2
(350 hp) |
$163,001 |
D, A |
1.6 tons |
20.3 tons |
3+10 |
10 |
Passive IR
(D, G, C), Image Intensification (G, C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 2
(400 hp) |
$163,192 |
D, A |
1.6 tons |
20.3 tons |
3+10 |
10 |
Passive IR
(D, G, C), Image Intensification (G, C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 3
(350 hp) |
$166,183 |
D, A |
1.6 tons |
20.3 tons |
3+10 |
10 |
Passive IR
(D, G, C), Image Intensification (G, C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 3
(400 hp) |
$166,373 |
D, A |
1.6 tons |
20.3 tons |
3+10 |
10 |
Passive IR
(D, G, C), Image Intensification (G, C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 4
(350 hp) |
$163,277 |
D, A |
2 tons |
19.5 tons |
3+10 |
8 |
Passive IR
(D, C), Image Intensification (C), Thermal Imaging (C), WL/IR
Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 4
(400 hp) |
$163,465 |
D, A |
2 tons |
19.5 tons |
3+10 |
8 |
Passive IR
(D, C), Image Intensification (C), Thermal Imaging (C), WL/IR
Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 5
(350 hp) |
$121,895 |
D, A |
1.9 tons |
19.6 tons |
3+10 |
8 |
Passive IR
(D, C), Image Intensification (C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-S AFV 5
(400 hp) |
$122,083 |
D, A |
1.9 tons |
19.6 tons |
3+10 |
8 |
Passive IR
(D, C), Image Intensification (C), WL/IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-SW (350
hp) |
$367,011 |
D, A |
800 kg |
22.2 tons |
3+6 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image
Intensification (G), Thermal Imaging (G), IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
ACV-SW (400
hp) |
$367,199 |
D, A |
800 kg |
22.2 tons |
3+6 |
10 |
Passive IR (D, G, C), Image
Intensification (G), Thermal Imaging (G), IR Searchlight (C) |
Shielded |
Vehicle |
Tr Mov |
Com Mov |
Fuel Cap |
Fuel Cons |
Config |
Susp |
Armor |
ACV-15 AAPC |
147/103 |
31/23/3 |
416 |
140 |
Trtd |
T2 |
TF6
TS5 TR4
HF10Sp HS7Sp
HR6* |
ACV-15 AIFV
(Early) |
143/100 |
30/22/3 |
416 |
145 |
Trtd |
T2 |
TF6
TS5 TR4
HF10Sp HS7Sp
HR6* |
ACV-15 AIFV
(Late) |
143/100 |
30/22/3 |
416 |
145 |
Trtd |
T2 |
TF6Sp
TS5Sp TR4
HF10Sp HS7Sp
HR6* |
ACV-15
CPV/AMV |
157/110 |
33/25/3 |
416 |
130 |
Stnd |
T2 |
HF10Sp
HS7Sp HR6* |
ACV-S AFV 1
(350 hp) |
126/88 |
27/20/3 |
501 |
166 |
Trtd |
T3 |
TF6Sp
TS5Sp TR4
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-S AFV 1
(400 hp) |
140/98 |
29/22/3 |
501 |
194 |
Trtd |
T3 |
TF6Sp
TS5Sp TR4
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-S AFV
2/3 (350 hp) |
125/87 |
26/20/3 |
501 |
169 |
Trtd |
T3 |
TF6Sp
TS5Sp TR4
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-S AFV
2/3 (400 hp) |
138/97 |
29/22/3 |
501 |
197 |
Trtd |
T3 |
TF6Sp
TS5Sp TR4
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-S AFV 4
(350 hp) |
129/90 |
28/21/3 |
501 |
162 |
CiH |
T3 |
TF2
TS2 TR2
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-S AFV 4
(400 hp) |
144/101 |
30/23/3 |
501 |
189 |
CiH |
T3 |
TF2
TS2 TR2
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-S AFV 5
(350 hp) |
129/90 |
28/21/3 |
501 |
163 |
Trtd |
T3 |
TF3
TS3 TR3
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-S AFV 5
(400 hp) |
143/100 |
30/22/3 |
501 |
190 |
Trtd |
T3 |
TF3
TS3 TR3
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-SW (350
hp) |
113/79 |
24/18/2 |
501 |
184 |
Trtd |
T3 |
TF11
TS4 TR4
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
ACV-SW (400
hp) |
126/88 |
26/20/3 |
501 |
215 |
Trtd |
T3 |
TF11
TS4 TR4
HF12Sp HS9Sp
HR7*** |
Vehicle |
Fire Control |
Stabilization |
Armament |
Ammunition |
ACV-15 AAPC |
+2 |
Fair |
M-2HB, MAG |
1000x.50, 1840x7.62mm |
ACV-300 AAPC (Malaysian 1) |
+2 |
Fair |
M-2HB |
2100x.50 |
ACV-300 AAPC (Malaysian 2) |
+2 |
Fair |
Mk 19 |
650x40mm |
ACV-15 AIFV (Early) |
+2 |
Fair |
25mm Giat M-811 Autocannon, MAG |
325x25mm, 1840x7.62mm |
ACV-15 AIFV (Late) |
+3 |
Good |
25mm M-242 ChainGun, MAG |
325x25mm, 1840x7.62mm |
ACV-15 CPV |
None |
None |
M-2HB (C) |
1100x.50 |
ACV-S AFV 1 |
+3 |
Good |
25mm M-242 ChainGun, MAG |
500x25mm, 2760x7.62mm |
ACV-S AFV 2 |
+3 |
Good |
25mm M-242 ChainGun, MAG |
550x25mm, 3050x7.62mm |
ACV-S AFV 3 |
+3 |
Good |
30mm M-230 ChainGun, MAG |
460x30mm, 3050x7.62mm |
ACV-S AFV 4 |
+3 |
Fair |
M-2HB |
1625x.50 |
ACV-S AFV 5 |
+2 |
Fair |
M-2HB |
1800x.50 |
ACV-SW |
+3 |
Good |
100mm 2A70 Gun, 2A72 30mm Autocannon,
MAG |
30x100mm, 6xAT-10 ATGM, 375x30mm,
4500x7.62mm |
*Belly armor is 4.
**See above for Crew
rating.
***Belly armor is 5, except
under the driver and turret (and commander if separate), where it is 6.