SAHA Expo 2024 – Hidroan Azman 6×6 optionally piloted vehicle unveiled

Hidroan, an Ankara-based company specialised in mobile hydraulics and truck-mounted equipment, with numerous involvements and ongoing programmes in the defence business, unveiled at SAHA Expo its modular 6×6 optionally piloted vehicle, with adjustable height suspensions

Terrain dictates mobility solutions: the eastern part of Turkey is characterised by a very difficult terrain, which normal vehicles find problems to cope with. This is even more true if we talk about unmanned vehicles, which sensors and driving algorithms are, for the time being, less flexible than the human being. Based on discussions with Turkish Land Forces, and lessons learned by the military in those areas, Hidroan decided to develop on its own funds a peculiar 6×6 armoured unmanned ground vehicle, which can be easily transformed into a manned vehicle, as it features a protected cabin at the front.

Another peculiarity of the Azman are the suspensions; its swinging arms height-adjustable fully independent active suspensions allow to considerably vary the ground clearance, from 0 to 720 mm. Not only, as each arm is independent, the Azman can be levelled, automatically or manually, the maximum pitch angle being 40° while the maximum roll angle is 30°. It is fitted with a hybrid powerpack with a turbodiesel engine used to charge the 129 kWh battery pack that provides power to the 240 kW hydroelectric motor that generates a 2,400 Nm torque.

The Azman is 5.8 metres long, 2.55 metres wide, and is fitted with 14.00R20 Pirelli PS22 pneumatics. The UGV can perform pivot steering, reducing the turning radius to zero. The curb mass is 6 tonnes, for a payload of 4.6 tonnes, which gives the platform a considerable flexibility in terms of operational payloads, missions ranging from logistics to combat, depending on the module installed. The vehicle on exhibition was fitted with an antitank turret carrying four missiles.  

The autonomous drive system exploits numerous sensors, among which four radars, four stereo cameras, four LIDARs and two depth cameras, which ensure obstacle detection and avoidance. The Azman can be remotely controlled by an operator, follow a planned route, or travel in full autonomy.

The vehicle seen at SAHA Expo was the first prototype, which underwent limited tests in Ankara, using the Nurol test track, more tests being planned. Once industry trials will be completed, EDR On-Line understood that Hidroan will hand over the prototype to the military for evaluation. The company also developed a similar vehicle in a 1:3 scale, which is obviously not an optionally manned platform as its bigger brother but maintains all other characteristics.  As one of the issues in eastern Turkey is the presence of numerous caves, the smaller UGV should be able to conduct reconnaissance missions in those high-risk features, identifying potential threats.   

Photos by P. Valpolini