The Azerbaijani company MİRAS and the Turkish company MKE have developed a project to modernize the BMP-1 by installing a remotely controlled weapon station from the TOLGA family. The modernized vehicle has been designated BMP-1TA TURAN and will be presented for the first time at the ADEX-2026 exhibition in Baku.
This is not a single museum vehicle: according to available data, the Azerbaijani ground forces have approximately 60 BMP-1s. For equipment developed in the USSR in the 1960s, remaining in service seems unusual. The project itself involves using the existing BMP-1 platform with new armament.
The key change in the BMP-1TA TURAN is related to its armament. MKE produces the TOLGA family of remotely controlled weapon stations with 12.7, 20, and 35 mm caliber options. The exact configuration installed on the BMP-1TA TURAN has not yet been detailed in the published materials.
In May 2026, MİRAS and MKE signed a memorandum of cooperation, providing for joint work on the modernization of the BMP-1 and the integration of TOLGA turrets onto this platform.
At the same time, there is no basis yet to turn the project into a deep modernization: there have been no reports of replacing the engine, chassis, or other onboard equipment.