Nigér has placed an order for Ejder Yalçins armoured vehicles from Turkey’s Nurol Makina, in addition to Bayraktar TB2 unmanned aerial vehicles and Hurkus turboprop trainer/light attack aircraft recently purchased.
In a recent diplomatic visit by Nigérien President Mohamed Bazoum to Turkey, he visited Baykar, which manufactures the Bayraktar TB2, and Havelsan, as well as Turkish Aerospace, Aselsan, and Roketsan.
President Bazoum said that the TB2s he ordered will help “to strengthen its air fleet as part of the strategy to fight terrorism and secure our borders. These drones, which will be delivered in the coming months, will certainly allow our populations living in certain areas marked by insecurity to be able to live their daily lives with more serenity, in accordance with the commitment of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces to guarantee security to all our fellow citizens.”
The Presidency said that Niger has also ordered armoured vehicles from Nurol Makina which are currently being manufactured.
Photos show Bazoum inspecting brown-colored Ejder Yalçins fitted with Aselsan Serdar weapon stations.
Nurol Ejder (“Dragon”) is a family of armored vehicles produced by Turkish company Nurol Makina. It consists of two versions which are 4×4 and 6×6. Ejder Yalçins 4×4 features a V-shaped hull design, integrating floating floor plates and blast mitigation seating to protect mines and IEDs.
It can accommodate up to 11 personnel and can carry a payload of up to 4 tons. The vehicle is equipped with optionally integrated, remote-controlled, and manually-operated weapon stations. It is fitted with two gun ports on the roof. The optional armament mounted on the vehicle includes 7.62mm and 12.7mm machine guns, a 25mm anti-aircraft gun, and a 40mm automatic grenade launcher.
Nigér now joins a long line of countries in Africa operating the Ejder Yalçin armored vehicle including Chad, Morocco, Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Tunisia.
In November last year, Turkish President Recep Erdogan revealed that Niger was acquiring TB2 and Hurkus aircraft as well as APCs to boost the capacities of its military and security forces. The first Hurkus will be delivered by mid-2022.
President Erdoğan stated that the TB2 drones, Hurkus aircraft, and armored vehicles that Niger would procure from Turkey would strengthen its military and security forces,” according to the directorate’s statement.
The Nigerien Air Force became the first foreign customer of the Hurkus trainer aircraft, produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries, says Turkey’s Directorate of Communications said on November 19 on its website.