Hungarian Army receives first batch of Gidran armored vehicles from Turkey

The delivery is part of a Hungarian Army order of 40 of the vehicles 
 

Hungarian Army receives first batch of Gidran armored vehicles from Turkey

Photo: Hungarian Defense Forces

The Hungarian Army announced early last week that it has taken delivery of an initial batch of Gidran 4×4 armored vehicles from Turkey. The Defence Blog website reported that the recently received vehicles are among the 40 Gidran vehicles ordered by the Hungarian Army this year.

The Gidran is an advanced version of the Ejder Yalcın (Dragon) armored vehicle produced by Turkish company Nurol Makina. The new version equipped with Aselsan’s SARP (Stabilized Advanced Remote Weapon Platform) remote-controlled weapon station can be armed with a 7.62 or 12.7mm machine gun and a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.

According to the manufacturer, the Ejder Yalcin, a modular platform with high levels of protection and mobility, was developed to meet the operational requirements of military units and security forces in every region including rural and urban areas. It features a V-shaped hull design, integrating floating floor plates and blast mitigation seating to provide protection against mines and IEDs. It can accommodate up to 11 personnel and can carry a payload of up to 4 tons. With a powerful diesel engine, high torque capability and fully independent suspension system, the vehicle offers superior off-road performance, the company says.  

Due to its design and payload capacity, the Ejder Yalcin can be modified for different missions and tasks such as border surveillance and security, air defense, reconnaissance, command and control, mine/IED detection and clearance, combat, and carrying or launching tactical missiles, and can also serve as an armored ambulance, according to the company.

Nurol Makina won its first contract to export Ejder Yalcın Block III 4×4 vehicles in early 2017, in a deal with Tunisia. It was followed by orders from Uzbekistan, Qatar, Senegal and South Sudan.