Prototype of Turkiye's first 155mm wheeled self-propelled howitzer, the T-155 TTA Panter, has completed testing and officially entered service with the Turkish Land Forces.
This is noteworthy because, although the development of this analogue to Ukraine's 2S22 Bohdana took only five years from the initial order, the groundwork for such systems had been laid long before.
Read more: Ukraine Boosted Global Demand for Patriot Systems and Poland Is Now Supplying Components for the Latest LTAMDS Radar
According to SavunmaSanayiST, the prototype covered over 20,000 kilometers across various terrains and fired around 350 rounds during tests that began in 2022.
The T-155 TTA is essentially a 155mm Panter towed howitzer with a 52-caliber barrel, integrated onto an 8x8 wheeled chassis, giving it self-propelled capability. The maximum firing range remains 40 km.
The contract for development was signed with state-owned ASFAT in 2020, with active work starting in 2021. System integration was completed by November 2022, and firing trials began the following month.
Interestingly, the idea of mounting the Panter on a wheeled platform isnt new. Back in 2017, two similar 6x6 prototypes KMO and T-155 Yavuz were showcased by different Turkish firms, both involving Aselsan. Since both were based on the same gun, their characteristics were nearly identical, differing mainly in mobility and weight due to different chassis: BMC for KMO and MAN for Yavuz.
Ultimately, ASFAT the developer of KMO won the 2020 contract, likely benefiting from using a fully Turkish platform. Notably, the new version now uses a larger chassis for better stability and off-road performance.
Turkiye is now moving from testing to serial production of the T-155 TTA Panter an important milestone in its strategy to meet defense needs with domestically produced systems, alongside projects like the Altay main battle tank, which is set for production at a rate of eight units per month.
Read more: Ukrainian Sappers Neutralize russian Shahed Drone Loaded with the PTM-3 Anti-Tank Mines in Sumy Region (Video)
