ZMA: FNSS’s Armored Combat Vehicle With ASELSAN NEFER Turret — Specs, Turkish Service and Exports Explained
Türkiye’s ZMA armored combat vehicle – the infantry fighting variant of FNSS’s ACV-15 family – is getting a second life through an ASELSAN-led upgrade that replaces its dated manned turret with the unmanned 25 mm NEFER system. According to project information released by Türkiye’s Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) in September 2026, 115 NEFER-equipped ZMAs have now been handed over to the Turkish Land Forces.
| Platform builder | FNSS Defence Systems (ACV-15 / ZMA) |
| Upgrade prime contractor | ASELSAN (FNSS as subcontractor) |
| User | Turkish Land Forces Command |
| Program status | SSB program – ZMA Modernization Project |
| Deliveries | 115 NEFER-turreted ZMAs delivered (Sept 2026) |
| Program start | Prime contract 31 Dec 2019; first delivery 1 Dec 2022 |
What Is the ZMA?
ZMA stands for Zırhlı Muharebe Aracı, the Turkish Army’s designation for the tracked infantry fighting version of the ACV-15, a vehicle family FNSS developed from the US AIFV lineage and has built in Ankara since the 1990s. It is the workhorse of Turkish mechanized infantry, carrying a dismount squad alongside main battle tanks and providing direct fire support.
The original Dutch-designed DAF one-man turret had become the platform’s weak point. Turkish trade press has reported that it lacked stabilization and suffered from propellant fumes leaking into the fighting compartment. The modernization program swaps it for ASELSAN’s remotely operated NEFER turret and adds a new electronic backbone, extra armor and life-support improvements, turning a Cold War-era design into a vehicle able to fire accurately on the move.
Technical Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Type | Tracked infantry fighting vehicle (upgraded ZMA) |
| Main armament | 25 mm automatic cannon in ASELSAN NEFER unmanned turret |
| Secondary armament | 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun |
| Combat weight | 16,500 kg |
| Maximum speed | 60 ± 3 km/h |
| Range | 400 km |
| Trench crossing | 1.83 m |
| Vertical obstacle | 0.736 m |
| Added subsystems | Laser warning, close-range surveillance, driver vision, direction-finding and navigation, CBRN system, add-on armor, spall liners, suppression systems |
Mobility and weight figures come from the SSB’s September 2026 fact sheet. NEFER is a gyro-stabilized turret with a laser rangefinder, automatic target tracker and day/night sights, and ASELSAN says it was designed to accept both NATO-standard and Russian-origin guns.
Who Builds It and Program History
The upgrade is an SSB program. The prime contract was signed between the SSB and ASELSAN on 31 December 2019, reportedly worth around 900 million Turkish lira, with a subcontract between ASELSAN and FNSS inked the same day. ASELSAN supplies the NEFER weapon system, laser warning, close-range surveillance, driver vision and navigation systems. FNSS, the original manufacturer, handles platform refurbishment, prototype build, qualification, turret integration, series work and logistics support at its Gölbaşı plant.
In short, the vehicle is an FNSS product, while ASELSAN leads the modernization. Firing trials were completed before the first five upgraded vehicles were handed over at an ASELSAN ceremony on 1 December 2022 – roughly three years after contract award, and close to seven years of program activity to date.
Turkish Service and Deliveries
The SSB says 115 NEFER-turreted ZMAs have been delivered to the Land Forces. Earlier press reporting cited a plan to upgrade 133 vehicles; the official note refers to the 115 already fielded. The package also covered training: all training aids and simulators for the Maintenance School Command in Balıkesir and the Infantry School Command in Tuzla have been delivered, and a 400 m² prefabricated classroom was built at Tuzla.
Exports
The wider ACV-15 family has one of the strongest export records of any Turkish land platform, with users including the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the Philippines. There is, however, no publicly announced export contract for the NEFER-based ZMA upgrade itself. Given the size of the global ACV/AIFV user base, a combat-proven Turkish retrofit package is an obvious candidate for future offers.
Trade Show Appearances
ASELSAN first unveiled NEFER at IDEF 2017 in Istanbul, and in June 2021 it showcased the turret on a ZMA to present the modernization concept, as reported by Defense News. The ACV-15 family has long been a staple of FNSS displays at IDEF. We could not verify separate international show appearances of the upgraded ZMA by year.
Local Content and Key Subsystems
No official local-content percentage has been published. The critical subsystems – turret, sensors, laser warning, navigation and vehicle electronics – are ASELSAN products developed in Türkiye, while structural refurbishment and integration take place at FNSS in Ankara.
Global Counterparts
Comparable efforts include the US Army’s Bradley A3/A4 upgrades, Russia’s Berezhok turret module for the BMP-2 and European life-extension work on vehicles such as the Marder. Türkiye’s approach stands out for adopting an unmanned turret that keeps the crew inside the hull and for sourcing the turret, sensors and electronics domestically, allowing a large legacy fleet to stay relevant until next-generation platforms arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes the ZMA – ASELSAN or FNSS?
FNSS designed and built the ACV-15/ZMA platform. ASELSAN is prime contractor for the modernization program, with FNSS as subcontractor.
What gun does the upgraded ZMA carry?
A 25 mm automatic cannon in ASELSAN’s NEFER unmanned turret, plus a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun.
How many have been upgraded?
According to the SSB, 115 NEFER-turreted ZMAs had been delivered as of September 2026.
When did the program start?
The prime contract was signed on 31 December 2019 and the first five vehicles were delivered on 1 December 2022.
Featured photo: Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB)
Sources
- SSB Land Vehicles Department project fact sheet, September 2026
- Defence Turkey – ZMA-15 Vehicles in the Inventory to be Retrofitted by ZMA Modernization Project
- TURDEF – First Modernised ACV-15 Back in Inventory
- Anadolu Ajansı – Modernize edilmiş ilk ZMA’lar güvenlik güçlerine teslim edildi
- DefenceTurk – ASELSAN ve SSB ZMA modernizasyonu için sözleşme imzaladı
- Defense News – Aselsan unveils new weapons and capabilities for armored combat vehicle (2021)
- C4 Defence – ASELSAN’s Unmanned Turret Nefer, IDEF’17
- Wikipedia – FNSS ACV-15
