The KAPLAN STA is a tracked tank destroyer built by FNSS on the KAPLAN-10, the smallest member of the company's new-generation KAPLAN family. It forms the tracked half of Türkiye's Weapon Carrier Vehicles (STA) program. According to project information released by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) in September 2026, 368 STA vehicles have been delivered in total, including 184 KAPLAN-10 vehicles from the original contract.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Builder | FNSS Defence Systems |
| User | Turkish Land Forces Command |
| Program | SSB Weapon Carrier Vehicles (STA) program |
| Deliveries | 368 STA vehicles delivered in total; 184 KAPLAN-10 in the original contract |
| Timeline | Contract 27 June 2016; first delivery 25 December 2019 |
What is the KAPLAN STA?
The KAPLAN STA is a tracked anti-tank guided missile carrier designed to keep pace with main battle tanks and engage armor from a remotely operated turret. SSB frames the program as developing, with domestic means, the vehicles needed to employ the OMTAS medium-range anti-tank missile from a platform.
The program deliberately pairs two hulls: the tracked KAPLAN-10 for cross-country work with armored units, and the wheeled PARS 4×4 for rapid road moves. It covers 64 KORNET-E and 196 OMTAS turrets, and the first KAPLANs delivered were reported with KORNET-E turrets.
Key features
The weapon system is an FNSS remote anti-tank turret with a twin-tube launcher for KORNET-E or OMTAS missiles, backed by a 7.62 mm machine gun and ASELSAN's SAGER electro-optical sight. The powertrain uses a TÜMOSAN engine with a fully automatic transmission, and the tracked running gear has five road wheels. Road speed is reported at 65 km/h.
The vehicle is amphibious through two rear water propulsion units, with no preparation required. Protection covers ballistic and mine threats, and the periscopes are laser-protected. KAPLAN-10 completed a 10,000 km durability test plus mobility, environmental, EMI/EMC, mine, ballistic and amphibious trials, and fired both KORNET and OMTAS from its FNSS-designed turret.
Program, service and exports
FNSS is prime contractor. The contract was signed on 27 June 2016 and entered into force on 14 October 2016, covering 260 vehicles and 260 turrets. Qualification began on 3 December 2018, and the first two vehicles were delivered at FNSS's Gölbaşı plant on 25 December 2019. ROKETSAN handled OMTAS integration, ASELSAN supplied mission equipment and the SAGER sight, and TÜMOSAN provided the engine. The contract was raised to 344 vehicles in April 2021, and the 300th anti-tank platform was delivered on 10 November 2023.
The KAPLAN STA serves with Turkish Land Forces anti-tank units. SSB has not disclosed the tracked and wheeled split of the 368 vehicles delivered. No export contract has been announced for this variant, but the wider family has an Indonesian footprint: FNSS and PT Pindad co-developed the Kaplan MT medium tank, known in Indonesia as Harimau.
Tracked tank destroyers such as the US M901 ITV, the BMP-3-based Kornet-T and Germany's Wiesel 1 TOW mostly rely on older hulls with bolt-on launchers. The KAPLAN STA combines a purpose-designed hull with mine protection, amphibious mobility and a remote turret that keeps the crew under armor.
Source: Envanter Medya