Brazilian Army delegation attends TULPAR live-fire demonstration in Italy

Category: Defense

 According to Brazilian defense outlet Tecnodefesa, a Brazilian Army delegation observed a live-fire demonstration of Otokar’s TULPAR armored vehicle equipped with Leonardo’s HITFACT MkII turret at a military test range in Nettuno, Italy.

Published: September 23/02/2026

By: CNIN NEWS Editorial Desk

Illustration of a tracked armored vehicle with a turret at a military test range.

A delegation from the Brazilian Army attended a live-fire demonstration involving the TULPAR tracked armored vehicle and the HITFACT MkII turret in Nettuno, Italy, on Tuesday, September 23, according to Tecnodefesa. The demonstration took place at the UTTAT military test center and range, known in Italian as Ufficio Tecnico Territoriale Armamenti Terrestri.

Tecnodefesa reported that the Brazilian group was led by Major General Eduardo Tavares Martins, deputy chief of the Army General Staff. The delegation was invited by Turkish vehicle manufacturer Otokar and Italian defense company Leonardo.

Vehicle and turret combination

These images were created by the CNIN NEWS team.

The TULPAR is a tracked armored-vehicle platform developed by Otokar. For the demonstration described by Tecnodefesa, it was fitted with Leonardo’s HITFACT MkII turret, a system that can be integrated into armored fighting vehicle configurations.

The report characterized the platform as a contender being evaluated in connection with Brazil’s New Tracked Vehicle Family initiative under the Brazilian Army’s Strategic Program for Armored Forces. However, the reported demonstration does not amount to a procurement decision, contract award or official selection by the Brazilian Army.

What remains unconfirmed

At the time of publication, CNIN NEWS had not located a public statement from the Brazilian Army, Otokar or Leonardo confirming the event, defining the test parameters or announcing any outcome from the demonstration. The information in this article is therefore attributed to Tecnodefesa. 

The Brazilian Army has not publicly announced, through the sources checked for this report, a final choice for the tracked armored vehicle program. Any statement that the TULPAR has been selected would be premature without an official announcement.

Why it matters

Live-fire demonstrations allow military delegations to observe a vehicle-and-turret combination in an operational testing environment. They are only one element in a possible acquisition process, which may also involve technical requirements, logistics, costs, industrial participation, maintenance, training and formal government procedures.

For Brazil, a future tracked armored-vehicle program could affect the modernization path of its armored forces. The scope, schedule and final candidates, however, must be confirmed by the Brazilian Army through official channels.

Source and methodology

Primary reported source: “Exército Brasileiro assiste demonstração de tiro do TULPAR com HITFACT” — Tecnodefesa, September 23, 2026. Used for the reported date, location, delegation, companies involved and connection to Brazil’s tracked-vehicle initiative.

Official-source status: No official Brazilian Army, Otokar or Leonardo announcement about this specific demonstration was located during this check. The article therefore attributes the event details to Tecnodefesa.

Asia Pacific Defence Reporter — integração entre Otokar e Leonardo

Otokar and Leonardo complete integration of TULPAR with HITFACT MkII 120mm turret