According to a Tweet published on March 25, 2023, by Ismail Demir, the President of the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), the first delivery of the Marine Assault Vehicle (MAV) Project also called ZAHA ( Zırhlı Amfibi Hücum Aracı - Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicle), which is set to meet the needs of the Turkish Naval Forces Command, took place on Saturday, March 25, 2023.
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The MAV Zaha is a new generation of tracked amphibious armored vehicles developed and designed by the Turkish company FNSS. (Picture source FNSS)
As part of the delivery, a total of 27 vehicles will enter into service with the Turkish armed forces. Among these, 23 will serve as personnel carriers, while two are configured as command vehicles and two as rescue vehicles.
The ZAHA (Zırhlı Amfibi Hücum Aracı), which translates to Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicle, is a Turkish-made amphibious assault vehicle developed by the Turkish company FNSS Savunma Sistemleri, a Turkish defense company specializing in the design and production of armored vehicles.
The FNSS MAV was unveiled for the first time to the public in May 2019 during the defense exhibition IDEF that wsa held in Istanbul, Turkey. The vehicle was developed as part of the Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicles (Zırhlı Amfibi Hücum Araçları, ZAHA) Project being conducted by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) to meet a need of Turkish Naval Forces Command. Within the project, FNSS will deliver a total of 27 vehicles, including 23 personnel carriers, two command and control vehicles and two recovery vehicles.
As dual-purpose vehicles, armored amphibious assault vehicles must demonstrate exceptional performance both at sea and on land in accordance with their roles. Only a few countries worldwide possess such vehicles in their inventory. Within NATO and its allies, FNSS is one of just two companies that manufacture vehicles in this class.
During the beach landing phase of an amphibious operation, the Zaha MAV vehicles are deployed from landing helicopter docks, quickly covering the distance between the ship and the shore. This enables marine units to disembark with armored protection.
The MAV Zaha's design features a tracked chassis and a water-resistant hull, with the driver's seat positioned at the front left side of the hull and a commander's hatch just behind it. The vehicle accommodates a crew of three and can transport up to 21 infantry personnel. A hydraulic ramp at the rear of the hull enables infantry to swiftly enter or exit the vehicle, while a manual door is integrated into the hydraulic ramp in case of malfunction. The vehicle's aluminum hull provides protection against small arms fire and artillery shell splinters.
The APC (Armored personnel Carrier) version of the MAV Zaha is fitted with the CAKA remotely operated weapon station mounted on the top of the hull which can be armed with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun or a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
The Marine Assault Vehicle (MAV) developed by FNSS is an armored amphibious assault vehicle designed to meet the requirements of the Turkish Naval Forces Command. (Picture source FNSS)
