FNSS Kaplan APC: Production Nears Completion for Indonesian Army Vehicle

FNSS Advances Production of Indonesian Army’s Kaplan APC, Testing Set for 2026

Work on the first KAPLAN Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) for the Indonesian Army has entered its final production phase, FNSS announced, marking a significant step forward in the program. Vehicle testing is scheduled to commence in the first half of 2026, following the completion of manufacturing.

The program stems from a contract signed in February 2024 between PT Pindad and the Indonesian Ministry of Defense (MoD) to fulfill the Indonesian Army’s need for a 30-ton class tracked armoured personnel carrier. This led to a “KAPLAN APC Development and Production Agreement” between FNSS and PT Pindad, establishing a collaborative development and production framework.

The KAPLAN APC will be integrated into FNSS’s KAPLAN family of tracked armoured vehicles. Designed to meet the evolving demands of modern battlefields, the vehicle prioritizes ballistic and mine protection, alongside integrated firepower.

The APC is designed to transport a crew of 13 personnel, including the driver, commander and gunner, and is engineered for operation across diverse terrains and weather conditions. It will incorporate an open-architecture electronic infrastructure, facilitating the integration of critical mission systems, such as a Battlefield Management System and a 360-degree situational awareness system offering both day and night vision capabilities for the crew.

FNSS is developing the KAPLAN APC as a modular platform, capable of accommodating both manned and unmanned turret systems. The vehicle’s armament options are flexible, including light and medium-caliber weapons like 30 mm and 35 mm cannons, as well as 120 mm mortars and anti-tank guided missile systems. This modularity allows for configuration tailored to a wide range of missions, encompassing mechanized infantry support, reconnaissance, command and control, force protection, medical evacuation, rescue operations, combat engineering, and both direct and indirect fire support.

The vehicle is built upon a new-generation tracked armoured combat vehicle platform, boasting a power-to-weight ratio of at least 23 hp/ton, depending on the specific configuration. Equipped with an automatic transmission, the platform is designed to operate alongside modern main battle tanks. FNSS emphasizes the logistical benefits of extensive commonality of parts and subsystems with Indonesia’s existing KAPLAN MT vehicles, as well as shared subsystems with the Marine Assault Vehicle (MSV) currently in service with the Turkish Naval Forces, aiming to support lifecycle cost management and efficiency.

The second vehicle in the program will be produced in Indonesia, with deliveries of both vehicles targeted for completion by the end of 2026.