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Otokar Akrep
A Turkish Otokar Akrep (Scorpion) Light Armoured Vehicle
Type	Armoured vehicle
Place of origin	Turkey
Service history
Used by	Turkish Army
Specifications
Weight	combat weight 3,600 kg
Length	4.19 m (4.025 m without winch)
Width	1.91 m
Height	2.563 m (2.01 m without MG mount)
Crew	3
Armor	unknown
Primary armament	2 x 7.62 mm MG
Secondary armament	none
Engine	Land Rover V-8 3.5 or Rover 300 TDI 4-cylinder turbocharged diesel 134hp or 111hp
Power/weight	37 hp/t
Suspension	coil springs and hydraulic dampers Panhard rod and anti-roll bars
Operational range	650 km or 1.000 km
Speed	125 km/h

The Otokar Akrep ("Scorpion") is a Turkish light armoured vehicle.

[edit] Development

The Akrep ("scorpion") light reconnaissance vehicle was developed by Otokar 'Otobus Karoseri Sanayi as with the first prototypes being completed in May 1993 and the first production vehicles in June 1994. In addition to being used in the light reconnaissance role other suggested missions include escort, perimeter control, counter-insurgency and light attack. The vehicle builds on Otokar's extensive experience in the manufacture of light vehicles for both the civilian and military markets. Since 1987 the company has been building the Land Rover range of 4 x 4 vehicles under licence and by 1997 production was running at around 2,500 vehicles a year.

[edit] Description

The Akrep has an all-welded steel hull with some 70% of the automotive components being from the well-known Land Rover Defender 90/110 (4 x 4) vehicle. The monocoque steel armour hull provides protection from small arms fire up to .50 caliber ball ammunition fired at 90° incidence and point-blank range, and shell splinters.All windows and vision blocks are of laminated construction armoured glass with a polycarbonate anti-spall liner. The layout is conventional, with the engine at the front, driver and commander in the centre with the machine gun installation being mounted on the roof towards the rear with the gunner seated below. To the front of the commander and driver is a bulletproof window and in each side is a door with a bulletproof window in the upper part and a firing port below. There is also a firing port and an associated vision device in either side of the hull and a large door in the hull rear that opens to the left. This is provided with a firing port and a vision block above. In the roof of the vehicle, towards the rear, is an oblong roof hatch that opens to the rear. The machine gun mount fitted on the roof is normally armed with a 7.62 mm machine gun which can be aimed and fired from within the vehicle.

The mount can be traversed 180° left and right and the 7.62 mm machine gun can be elevated from -20 to +70°. In addition to the 230 rounds of ready use ammunition, an additional 3,000 rounds are carried inside the vehicle. Firing is electrical with safety locking and braking together with a mechanical back-up. A last round indicator is also provided. The day sight has a wide field of view (22°) with x1 magnification including a collimated aiming circle, and a narrow field of view (8°) with x8 magnification and a ballistic graticule. The night sight has a wide field of view (22°) with x1 magnification and a collimated aiming circle and a narrow field of view (7°) with x7 magnification and a 25 mm image intensifier tube and a ballistic graticule. Standard equipment includes an air conditioning system, a heater and demister, seat belts, two-speed windscreen wipers with wash facility, rifle clips, an infrared driving headlamp, a blackout lighting system, a smoke extraction fan mounted on the roof, a battery master switch, antenna mounting provision, special insulation for roof and body interior from thick polyurethane for thermal and noise insulation, front and rear recovery hooks, a first aid kit, stowage for extra gun barrel and a weapon cleaning kit, a toolkit, an explosion suppressed fuel tank and Hutchinson Run-flat tires. Optional equipment includes a front-mounted electrical winch with 25 m (81') of cable with a capacity of 3,600kg (3.5 tons), 66 mm smoke grenade launchers, a pioneer kit including axe, shovel and pickaxe, a communication system, a land navigation system and 24 V suppressed vehicle electrics.