ACV-15 is the designation of an amphibious armored combat vehicle family developed by the Turkish defense company FNSS Savunma Sistemleri. The Armored Combat Vehicle (ACV) is the generic designation for a tracked, diesel engine powered, heavy armored platform in the 13-15 ton class, capable of performing combined arms operations with main battle tanks. The platform design allows integration of different subsystems for executing a variety of different roles. The Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) chassis forms the base vehicle for all other members of ACV-15 Family of Vehicles.The design is an attempt to combine the capabilities of an infantry fighting vehicle (IFV) and an armoured personnel carrier (APC). The ACV-15 is based on the American Advanced Infantry Fighting Vehicle, which in turn is based on the American M113A1 armored personnel carrier.
FNSS developed the ACV-15 based on the AIFV to meet the Turkish Land Forces Command’s (TLFC’s) operational requirement. The first production vehicles were delivered in 1992. The basic AIFV has a one-person power-operated turret armed with a 25mm cannon and 7.62mm co-axial machine gun. FNSS Defense Systems’ latest development is the Armored Combat Vehicle – New Generation which has an additional roadwheel each side. This can undertake a wider range of battlefield missions as it has greater internal volume and load-carrying capability. The vehicle is fully amphibious, propelled in the water by its tracks. Standard equipment includes passive night vision equipment, an NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) protection system and smoke grenade launchers. The Adnan feature KVH TacNav navigation system incorporating GPS, LWD Avimo laser warning device, Wegmann type 76mm grenade launchers, NBC filtration system and ANVVS-2 night vision system.
The ACV-15 is a full tracked (5 road wheels), lightweight, low silhouette armored vehicle capable of high-speed operations on desert conditions, poor infrastructure, roads and/or highways. Movement of the tracks propels and steers the vehicle on land. Access to the vehicle is through a hydraulically operated ramp, with personnel door, on the rear of the vehicle or through the driver and commander’s hatches on the top deck. A large cargo hatch cover is provided in the top deck, behind the turret. Access for servicing and maintenance of the power plant, located in the front right section of the vehicle, is through internal covers and through a cover on the front of the vehicle. Two armored fuel compartments are located in the rear of the vehicle for weight distribution and crew safety. The compartments are separated from the vehicle by armor plate.
The AIFV is in service with Turkey (2249) and the United Arab Emirates (136 delivered). Malaysia ordered 211 ACV-15 in different versions in 2000, all of which have been delivered. The ACV-15 can be fitted with a number of turret choices to tailor to individual customer requirements. They are also equipped with firing ports, which allows infantrymen to fire their weapons from within the vehicle. The ACV-15 has also been fitted with the turret of a BMP-3 infantry combat vehicle, produced by KBP Instrument Design Bureau of Tula, Russia. The system is called ACV-SW. The BMP-3 turret is armed with a 2A70 100mm semi-automatic rifled gun/missile launcher, which can fire either HE-Frag (High Explosive-Fragmentation) rounds or the 9M117 laser beamriding anti-tank missile.
The Malaysian variant of the AIFV is called the ACV-300 Adnan and is a result of a collaboration between FNSS and the Malaysian company DRB-Hicom Defence Technologies (Deftech). They are nicknamed the Adnan after Adnan bin Saidi, a Malayan Lieutenant hero who fought in the Battle of Singapore during World War II. The ACV-300s are equipped with a 25mm Sharpshooter Turret and are assembled by Deftech at Pekan, Pahang. Some of these vehicles are fitted with a Thales laser warning system, coupled to a bank of 76 mm electrically operated smoke-grenade launchers mounted at the front of the vehicle. Final deliveries of the first order for 211 vehicles were made late in 2004. It is understood that an additional order will be placed for a further batch of 66 vehicles, to equip a total of three battalions. As of early 2008 no additional orders had been placed by Malaysia. 12 units were deployed against Sulu militants in the 2013 Lahad Datu standoff.
