AX50s now in Service with Turkish Law Enforcement

[Zarvan]

The Turkish national law enforcement special response teams (Police Special Operations Department, Polis Özel Harekât Dairesi) have recently adopted Accuracy International’s .50 BMG AX50anti-material rifle according to Aybars, a Turkish defense analyst on Twitter. Mentions of this upcoming sale were made in the early part of June, but recently he posted photos and videos confirming the presence of AX50s within the PÖH response units. One image showed an AX50 being fired with a suppressor mounted, on a shooting rest made by a local Turkish company, Trapmak.

The AX50 is an extremely well made precision rifle. Although most Accuracy International rifles in use by LE/Military forces around the world are of the 7.62x51mm NATO, or .338 Lapua variety, this purchase stands out for the .50 BMG choice in the AX50, especially for a law enforcement entity. The reason behind this is twofold. First of all, much of the militant insurgency that Turkish security forces deal is in the eastern part of the country, with the Kurdish PKK organization. This part of the region is extremely rugged and mountainous, so an extremely accurate, precision long gun would be very useful as support for security operations. Of course, the second reason is most likely due to the expected rise of Kurdish nationalism in the area, and I assume that the rest of the Turkish Military/LE establishment is gearing up to face a possible surge in Kurdish PKK operations.

The choice of a .50 BMG is most likely also due to an operational requirement for penetrating armor, barricades, or fortifications that PKK members might have set up. As evidenced below, the PÖH already has 7.62x51mm NATO semi-automatic and bolt action precision rifles, but these appear to not have been enough for the mission sets that the PÖH are facing.

Of course, this is yet another example of a high functioning unit in Turkey that won’t buy into the countries own armament production, as MKEK just released an anti-material rifle, even chambered in .50 BMG, in May of this year.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2017/10/13/ax50s-now-service-turkish-law-enforcement/

 

[Joe Shearer]

Of course, this is yet another example of a high functioning unit in Turkey that won’t buy into the countries own armament production, as MKEK just released an anti-material rifle, even chambered in .50 BMG, in May of this year.

@Zarvan

If the Turks think they have problems, just send them across for a quiet chat - we have quite a list for them to think about.

 

[T-123456]

@Zarvan

If the Turks think they have problems, just send them across for a quiet chat - we have quite a list for them to think about.

The problem with MKEK is quality,it sucks at it,what do you expect from a state company where there is no need for doing your best and producing a world class product(even if the design is good),you get paid anyway.
If Kale,Sarilmaz or any other private company would produce that anti-material rifle,things would be different.

 

[Zarvan]

The problem with MKEK is quality,it sucks at it,what do you expect from a state company where there is no need for doing your best and producing a world class product(even if the design is good),you get paid anyway.
If Kale,Sarilmaz or any other private company would produce that anti-material rifle,things would be different.

This shows we and Turkey face exactly same problem

 

[Joe Shearer]

The problem with MKEK is quality,it sucks at it,what do you expect from a state company where there is no need for doing your best and producing a world class product(even if the design is good),you get paid anyway.
If Kale,Sarilmaz or any other private company would produce that anti-material rifle,things would be different.

Ah, that is so familiar an issue.

We have this evil, slime-covered monster called the Ordnance Factories Board, that produces rifles - Kalashnikov imitations but not copies - whose stocks heat up, which jam and which are frequently discarded by troops in combat with insurgents for the arms they grab from dead insurgents. They also produce shells that explode a little earlier than wanted, within the shells of guns. There's a lot they do, but working efficiently for the safety of soldiers is not apparently in their KRAs.

Of the three wholly owned state factories under the Minister of State for Defence Production, BEML, supposedly making heavy tractors for transport of heavy tubed and tubeless artillery is a dud, HAL is very patchy, with brilliant bits and primitive bits all working together, and BEL, the electronics guys, rock; they are stars, and would whip anyone given a fair break.

 

[Saithan]

Well... look at the bright side, we've found a common foe! (ind/pak/tur==>state ownership).

 

[Hexciter]

There are examples from local producers offered to the Turkish forces. But our soldiers are difficult customers as always.

The third one in the following picture is the Kale’s Avunya which was the first .50 cal AMR introduced. It failed many years ago.

Recently MKEK stated to develop its .50 cal AMR based on JNG-90 design. I found it is too weird and big.

Kale newly introduced a new design in IDEF 2017. I heard that it will be evaluated by Armed forces. It looks like a promising design.

 

[Hexciter]

This one was the presented prototype of MKEK in IDEF 2017

 

[Saithan]

Their first bit on .50 cal seems to be lacking creativity

 

[-SINAN-]

Their first bit on .50 cal seems to be lacking creativity

Are you expecting any creativity from MKEK ?

 

[era_shield]

Are you expecting any creativity from MKEK ?

Maybe they'll get innovative and start wearing socks with their sandals.