Turkey’s FNSS has unveiled the İ-ZAHA multi-purpose modular unmanned amphibious vehicle for the first time at the “TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan” technology festival.
Polygonjournal reports, citing FNSS, that the İ-ZAHA, designed and manufactured by the company, was developed to operate alongside the amphibious ZAHA armored personnel carriers currently in service with the Turkish Naval Forces.
Thus, the İ-ZAHA unmanned amphibious vehicle and the ZAHA armored personnel carrier will perform missions together under the Manned-Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) concept.
During amphibious landing operations, the İ-ZAHA establishes initial contact with the opposing side’s coastal defenses ahead of manned platforms, allowing operators to remain in a safe area throughout the mission.
The 8-ton platform, capable of moving continuously from sea to shore, can reach a speed of 7 knots (approximately 13 km/h) in water and 70 km/h on land. Thanks to interchangeable payload modules that can be replaced in approximately 40 minutes in the field, the İ-ZAHA can be configured for 10 different mission roles, ranging from fire support and mine clearance to electronic warfare and casualty evacuation.
The İ-ZAHA can be transported by road, rail and sea. When rapid deployment over long distances is required, heavy-lift transport helicopters and military transport aircraft can also be used. It can be transported by platforms such as the CH-47F “Chinook”, Mi-26, C-130 “Hercules”, A400M, C-17 “Globemaster”, C-5 “Galaxy”, An-124 and Il-76, meeting the requirements of modern military logistics.
