An unmanned platform built for the most dangerous phase of amphibious operations
Turkish military vehicle manufacturer FNSS has unveiled its new unmanned multi-purpose amphibious vehicle, designated İ-ZAHA, at the Teknofest defense exhibition.
The four-wheeled platform is designed to remove human crews from the first wave of an amphibious assault, widely regarded as the most dangerous phase of such an operation. The vehicle is intended to operate as part of a manned-unmanned team alongside the Marine Assault Vehicles already in service with the Turkish Naval Forces.
Eight tons and a naval speed of seven knots
The İ-ZAHA weighs approximately eight tons and is capable of transiting from sea to shore. It can reach a speed of up to seven knots in the water and travel at up to 70 kilometers per hour on land.
Its configuration enables the vehicle to perform a wide range of missions, including fire support, mine clearance, electronic warfare and counter-drone operations.
Weapons and battlefield systems
The vehicle can be fitted with a machine gun for fire support, mine-detection and mine-clearance equipment, electronic warfare modules and systems designed to counter unmanned aerial vehicles.
The platform also incorporates a GNSS/INS navigation system, an identification-friend-or-foe module and artificial intelligence-based image-processing capabilities.
These systems are intended to support autonomous movement, enable the vehicle to assess its operational environment and allow it to perform missions in areas where deploying human crews would involve significant risks.
Interchangeable modules for different missions
One of the İ-ZAHA’s main features is its modular architecture. Different mission payloads can be installed on the same base platform, depending on the operational requirements.
According to the manufacturer, a module can be replaced in the field in approximately 40 minutes. This gives operators the ability to rapidly configure the vehicle for fire support, mine clearance, electronic warfare or counter-drone missions.
FNSS expands its focus on autonomous systems
FNSS is a privately owned Turkish defense company fully controlled by Nurol Holding.
FNSS Chief Executive Officer Selim Baybaş said the company is expanding its research and development activities in unmanned and autonomous vehicle technologies.
He stated that the U-MAV combines FNSS’s engineering expertise, the operational experience gained from its Marine Assault Vehicle and the company’s ongoing research and development work in a new-generation, heavy-class unmanned amphibious platform.
