Land Systems Turkey Inventory TURKISH DEFENSE INDUSTRY

PALEM: Tekatron’s Tracked Electric UGV — Specs, Turkish Service and Exports Explained

Türkiye’s PALEM tracked electric modular unmanned ground vehicle, built by Ankara-based Tekatron for the Turkish Land Forces Command, is moving from trials into acceptance. According to project data released by the Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) in September 2026, two vehicles have been accepted, a third is in field trials, and six are scheduled to be accepted by the end of 2026. The all-electric platform is designed to switch between a 12.7mm remote weapon station, a 40mm grenade launcher and a cargo role.

PALEM Paletli Elektrikli Modüler İKA infographic: key features and capabilities — PALEM Paletli Elektrikli Modüler İKA infographic. Design: Envanter Medya

At a Glance

Builder	Tekatron (prime contractor)
User	Turkish Land Forces Command
Program	SSB Tracked Electric Modular UGV Development Project (PALEM)
Status	2 accepted, 1 in field trials, 6 acceptances planned by end-2026
Class	Medium Class, Level 2 UGV
Program start	2023 (SSB contract)

What Is PALEM?

The acronym stands for Paletli Elektrikli Modüler, or tracked, electric and modular, which neatly describes the design brief. SSB defines the requirement as a remotely operated vehicle able to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition across varied terrain and weather, while accepting different weapon systems and mission payloads.

In practice this means a single tracked chassis carrying one of three mission kits: an ASELSAN SARP Dual remote weapon station with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun, a SARP Dual fitted with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher (both with a coaxial 7.62mm secondary gun), or a cargo basket for logistics. Tekatron also markets the vehicle for anti-armour, ISR and loitering-munition carrier roles. The fully electric drivetrain keeps acoustic and thermal signatures low, which matters for static observation and ambush tasks.

Technical Specifications

Parameter	Value
Class	Medium Class, Level 2 (SSB)
Weight	2,650 kg including payload (SSB); 2,050 kg platform (Tekatron)
Payload	1,000 kg (Tekatron)
Top speed	18 km/h (Tekatron)
Propulsion	All-electric, tracked
Communications	RF and 4G/LTE (SSB); satellite option per manufacturer
Datalink range	4,000 m (SSB)
Endurance	8 hours (SSB)
Mission kits	12.7mm SARP Dual RWS, 40mm grenade launcher SARP Dual (7.62mm secondary on both), logistics carrier
Sensors	Mast-mounted surveillance system
Protection	STANAG 4569 Level 2 for critical components (Tekatron)
Transportability	Road, rail, sea, air; CH-47 internal/external (Tekatron)

The two weight figures are complementary rather than contradictory: SSB quotes a loaded figure, Tekatron the bare platform. Eight hours of endurance and a 4 km link place PALEM squarely in the platoon-to-company support role, and ballistic protection for critical components is not a given in this weight class.

Who Builds It and Program History

SSB lists Tekatron as prime contractor. According to Defence Turkey, the contract was signed in 2023 to meet a Land Forces Command requirement, with Kuartis also involved and a parallel effort, KARAGÖZ, covering an AI-assisted fire control and autonomous driving support system. Since then the vehicles have gone through trials; SSB reports that two PTP-2 vehicles converted from earlier PTP and OTP configurations have been accepted. Tekatron is also a supplier elsewhere in the Turkish UGV sector: Anadolu Agency listed it among the subcontractors on HAVELSAN’s BARKAN in 2023, and a good-faith agreement between SSB, HAVELSAN and Tekatron was signed at SAHA 2026, without disclosed details.

Turkish Service and Deliveries

The Land Forces Command is the sole announced user. Two vehicles have been formally accepted and the target is six by year-end. Turkish press reports say PALEM took part in the EFES-2026 exercise. For the Turkish Army, PALEM fills the gap between lighter Level 1 robots such as HANÇER and BARKAN and heavier armoured platforms.

Exports

There is no publicly announced export contract for PALEM as of September 2026. Its appearance at SAHA 2026 as the basis for a ROKETSAN missile carrier, presented to foreign delegations as a NATO-compatible solution, has nonetheless raised the vehicle’s international profile.

Trade Show Appearances

The most visible outing came at SAHA 2026 in Istanbul in May 2026, where ROKETSAN displayed İKA-PALEM. Army Recognition reported that the configuration can carry UMTAS, CİRİT, L-UMTAS and L/UMTAS-GM missiles, with engagement ranges of up to 8 km and 15 km respectively, plus a 7.62mm machine gun. Tekatron is also a regular IDEF exhibitor. We found no verified record of PALEM at Eurosatory, DSEI or IDEX.

Local Content and Key Subsystems

No official local-content percentage has been published. The platform is designed and built in Türkiye by Tekatron, the SARP Dual weapon stations come from ASELSAN and the missile options from ROKETSAN, so the key mission payloads are domestically sourced. The KARAGÖZ effort extends that to the fire control and autonomy software layer.

Global Counterparts

PALEM sits alongside Milrem Robotics’ THeMIS from Estonia, Rheinmetall’s Mission Master family and the tracked demonstrators tested under the US Army’s Robotic Combat Vehicle effort, while Russia’s Uran-9 represents a heavier, higher-profile concept. PALEM’s distinguishing combination is an all-electric tracked chassis, component-level ballistic protection and a fully domestic weapons and missile menu.

It is also one piece of a broader Turkish portfolio. SSB’s note records that Esetron’s TARIK kamikaze UGV completed trials with 28 vehicles and received an Executive Committee decision for 200 units on 13 May 2025, Arox’s caged HİKA-6 drone is in its warranty phase, and Elektroland’s Type-2 EOD robot enters qualification in September 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who builds PALEM?

Tekatron is the prime contractor under the SSB program; weapon stations come from ASELSAN and the missile kit from ROKETSAN.

Is PALEM in Turkish service?

Yes. Two vehicles have been accepted by the Land Forces Command, with six acceptances planned by the end of 2026.

What weapons can it carry?

A 12.7mm or 40mm SARP Dual remote weapon station with a 7.62mm secondary gun; ROKETSAN’s İKA-PALEM variant carries UMTAS, CİRİT and L-UMTAS missiles.