Not limited to producing tracked self-propelled howitzers (SPH) Firtina, Turkey, which achieved success in its defense industry, also developed and produced SPH wheeled tires in caliber 155 mm, which was labeled Yavuz 6×6. Launched at IDEF 2017 in Istanbul.
Apart from complementing the arsenal of the Turkish Army, Yavuz is currently in the process of negotiating for acquisition by Malaysia and Brazil.
Yavuz is manufactured by a state-owned defense company – the Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE). Like the French CAESAER 6x6 SPH operated by the Indonesian Army, Yavuz is designed to respond to the needs of the Turkish armed forces for a new type of howitzer that offers high mobility with rapid deployment capabilities.
MKE Yavuz is based on the German MAN 6×6 military truck chassis with a 155/52 mm howitzer mounted at the rear of the chassis. In fact, the howitzer used comes from the Panter 155 mm truck-mounted howitzer, which is also produced by MKE and is already in Turkish military operations, even the Panter has also been used by Pakistan.
The MKE Yavuz was developed based on the chassis and engine of a commercial MAN 6x6 truck converted for use for military applications, but the cab and layout were completely designed by MKE and Yol-Bak.
A double cab located aft of the MKE Yavuz 155mm 6x6 self-propelled howitzer can accommodate a crew of five, including driver, commander, gunner and two loaders. The crew cab is fully armored to provide protection against small arms fire and artillery projectile splinters.
MKE Yavuz is equipped with a semi-automatic loading system. In one operation, Yavuz can carry a total of 18 munitions stored in storage boxes located on each side of the truck chassis. The howitzer on the Yavuz can fire projectiles up to a maximum range of 40 km.
It only took 60 seconds for the Yavuz crew to fire the first shot, and in the hands of trained personnel, up to six shots were fired in one minute. MKE Yavuz combat weight is 20 tons. With the MAN 6×6 truck platform, Yavuz can travel up to 60 km per hour and travel up to 600 km.
