So purely based on this image I’ve identified new communication systems of Chilean Leopard provided by ASELSAN. I could not identify two units at the bottom sadly.
If Gaijin doesn’t make a video of our moments of valor, we Chileans will do it ourselves. A spectacular video to commemorate the glories of the Chilean army which are celebrated today, September 19, where almost all Chilean vehicles appear with their respective historical camouflages. I hope you enjoy this video as much as I do.
A Chilean Marder 1A3 has been modernized with the EOPTRIS LR system for the gunner, which features third-generation thermal imaging and a laser rangefinder, as well as a Vector stabilization system. Finally, it adds a SENTINEL Situational Awareness System for the driver, providing 360° situational awareness.
A couple of days ago they published this image where you can see the Minister of Defense in the FAMAE facilities, which is the state company in charge of army modernizations. To one side you can see an NZLAV (LAV III) infantry vehicle from the Chilean Marines and on the banner you can see that they plan to install the same systems as the Marder 1A3.
Not yet. I’m always checking social media to see if the army posts anything interesting. Regarding the Marder, I think they could still do things to it, like changing the gun, etc.
With the arrival of NASAMS 3 to the game in the United States and Sweden, I have added NASAMS 2 in Chilean service, so now Chile also offers a top tier anti-aircraft system.
Recently, new images were also discovered showing the progress in the modernization of the Chilean Leopard 2, this time revealing a kind of reactive armor (?) on the tank’s turret during tests at the Aselsan facilities in Turkey. Right next to the turret, a small banner can be seen displaying some Chilean national symbols such as the flag, the army crest, and the state-owned company FAMAE.
I’m not really sure if its for Chilean Modernisation, we’ve seen exact same turret back in 2022 too. I also remember there was an ASELSAN publication with same turret but I just cannot find which one was it.
Anyways, here is the image from 2022. This one though has ATS-65 as CITV.
I’ve managed find even earlier image of exact same turret from ASELSAN Dergi, Issue 105, May 2020, predating above image.
That image is quite interesting. From what I’ve read, it seems to relate to the turret’s movement systems or something like that. I also suspect it’s a turret used at ASELSAN for various tests and isn’t specifically related to a particular variant. Personally, I think that section of the facilities is reserved for modernization for Chile, given the banner visible to one side and the previous turret that had the ATS-65 commander’s sight, which was finally installed on Chile’s Leopard 2s a few months ago. So, I don’t think they were testing armor. The question is, what exactly were they testing? I saw some receptacles on top of the turret; isn’t that for an anti-missile system? For an Akkor or Pulat?
I’m referring to this more recent image from October of this year, where the Chilean banner is visible to one side. It has two square receptacles on the turret at the top that were not present in the images from previous years that you showed.
Yeap, thats 6-DOF Motion Platform kind of standart equipment for Turret Movement and Fire-Control tests.
More than likely. I’m not sure what are those hexagonal things are but they’ve been used more than ten years.
Again, I’m not really sure what they are to be honest. I haven’t seen anything similar either in any products offered by Turkish firms. I might need to dive into patents but I’m not sure if I will.
Looking at it more closely, it’s actually four receptacles for 360° coverage, which makes me think it’s an anti-missile system or an LWS. Has any other Turkish tank used anything with this shape?
In this configuration ? No. M60T/TM/T1, Altay and cancelled M60A3T1 all used LİAS but it was always placed on four corners of the turrets. AKKOR’s Radar Plates also placed in similar manner, this configuration is again quite odd to me. However, this might be completely different stuff used on testing.
It looks like to be KARTALGÖZÜ-200 Gunner’s/Commander’s Sight, EMES-15 looks slightly different.
