Saha Expo 2026 – Koluman presents Kisrak, a high-mobility ambulance for extreme environments
At Saha Expo in Istanbul, one of the leading Turkish vehicles manufacturers, Koluman, well positioned both in commercial and defence business, unveiled Kisrak, a new high-mobility ambulance designed to operate in some of the most demanding terrain and climatic conditions. The vehicle is clearly positioned as a specialist platform for tactical casualty evacuation, disaster response and remote-area medical support, where conventional ambulances would be unable to keep pace with operational requirements
Kisrak is built around a rugged off-road architecture that combines mobility, endurance and medical usability. Rather than adapting a civilian chassis for emergency use, Koluman has developed a platform intended from the outset to move patients and medical personnel across broken ground, flood-prone areas and steep gradients while maintaining acceptable ride quality and operational continuity.
Power comes from a Mercedes-Benz OM926 LA engine delivering 240 kW, or 330 hp, and 1,300 Nm of torque. This is paired with an Allison 3500 SP automatic transmission with six forward gears and one reverse gear, a combination that should provide smooth power delivery and reduce driver workload in difficult terrain. The vehicle’s overall length is 6,773 mm, while the width shown in the manufacturer’s documentation is 1,950 mm.
A key feature of Kisrak is its use of portal axles, which provide a ground clearance of 520 mm. This is a significant figure for an ambulance platform and underlines the vehicle’s off-road credentials. Koluman states that the vehicle can ford water obstacles up to 1,200 mm deep, tackle gradients of 60% and side slopes of 30%, and cross vertical obstacles of 500 mm as well as trenches measuring 600 mm.
These mobility characteristics place Kisrak well beyond the scope of a standard road ambulance. The vehicle is evidently intended for operations where access is constrained by terrain rather than distance, including combat support missions, border security tasks, disaster relief and evacuation from isolated areas. In such scenarios, the ability to reach casualties quickly can be as important as the medical capability inside the cabin.
Koluman also highlights the medical transport aspect of the design. The ambulance is equipped with a coil-spring suspension system aimed at reducing vibration and improving stability during patient movement. For medical evacuation platforms, this is a critical design choice, since ride comfort and stability can directly affect treatment outcomes and the safety of both patients and crew.
The company further stresses that Kisrak has been engineered for extreme environmental conditions, with an operating temperature range from -32°C to +49°C. That range suggests the vehicle is being targeted not only at domestic users, but also at export customers operating in climates ranging from severe cold to intense heat.
From an industrial standpoint, Koluman is leveraging Mercedes-Benz’s global service and logistics footprint, which it says covers 130 countries and 2,500 service points. For military and government buyers, this kind of support network can be decisive, particularly when fleet readiness and through-life sustainment are major procurement criteria.
The presentation at Saha Expo suggests that Koluman is aiming to establish Kisrak as a credible option in the growing niche of specialist medical and rescue vehicles for hostile environments. By combining proven powertrain components, serious cross-country mobility and a dedicated medical configuration, the company is clearly seeking to address a capability gap between conventional ambulances and purpose-built tactical platforms.
Kisrak is therefore best understood as a response to a specific operational challenge: how to evacuate casualties when road infrastructure is damaged, absent or inaccessible. In that context, the vehicle’s arrival at Saha Expo marks more than a product launch. It signals Turkey’s continued ambition to expand its footprint in the specialist defence and emergency mobility sector.
Photos by J. Roukoz
