Photo credit: Nurol Makina Hungary
Turkish defence manufacturer Nurol Makina has signed an agreement with Hungarian partners to co-produce approximately 800 Gidrán 4×4 armoured vehicles in Hungary, marking a significant transition for the company from a direct exporter to a local European defence manufacturer.
The agreement was finalized between the Hungarian Ministry of Defence, the Hungarian Armed Forces, and 4iG Space and Defence Technologies, and was formally signed during a ceremony in Budapest attended by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
Other participants included Türkiye’s Ambassador to Budapest Gülşen Karanis Ekşioğlu, Nurol Holding executives Oğuz and Gürel Çarmıklı, Nurol Makina CEO Engin Aykol, and Mehmet Atak, General Manager of Nurol Makina’s Hungarian subsidiary.
The agreement covers the local production of 800 Gidrán 4×4 armoured vehicles, a customized version of Nurol Makina’s Ejder Yalçın tactical platform developed specifically for the Hungarian Armed Forces.
The new vehicles will complement a fleet of 106 Gidrán vehicles previously produced in Türkiye and delivered to Hungary, which have been operational with the Hungarian Army since 2020.
Nurol Makina will cooperate with Hungarian vehicle manufacturer Rába Automotive Group to carry out the production programme. The majority of the vehicles will be manufactured at a newly established production facility in Hungary, while some components will be sourced through the broader European Union defence supply chain.
In parallel with the production agreement, the parties also signed a comprehensive life-cycle support and maintenance contract to sustain the Hungarian Army’s existing Gidrán fleet.
The programme builds on the establishment of Nurol Makina Hungary, a subsidiary created by the Turkish company in June 2025 to support defence manufacturing activities in the country. The subsidiary subsequently formed a joint venture with Rába to facilitate local production and industrial cooperation.
Meanwhile, 4iG Space and Defence Technologies holds the exclusive distribution rights for the Gidrán platform in Hungary until 2030, reinforcing the partnership between Hungarian and Turkish defence industry stakeholders.
Hungarian officials described the agreement as a strategic step toward strengthening national and regional security, formally designating Nurol Makina as a strategic defence partner alongside global contractors such as CSG and Lockheed Martin.
The Gidrán 4×4 Armoured Combat Vehicle is designed to deliver high levels of protection, mobility, and mission flexibility for military and security forces operating across diverse environments, including both urban and rural terrain.
Based on the Ejder Yalçın platform, the vehicle features MRAP-level protection against mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and lateral blasts.
Powered by a 375-horsepower diesel engine and equipped with a fully independent suspension system, the vehicle provides excellent off-road performance and high operational mobility.
The platform can be configured for a wide range of missions, including personnel transport, reconnaissance, and command-and-control roles.
Key Features
- Personnel capacity of up to 12 troops
- MRAP-level ballistic and mine protection
- Integration of manual or remote weapon stations
- Run-flat tyres and side gunports
- Fully independent suspension system
- Built-in radio infrastructure
- Interior gunpowder smoke evacuation system
- Hydraulic-assisted power steering
- Rapid and cost-effective maintenance architecture
DBDC INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE PUBLICATIONS & EVENTS UK LTD 
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