On February 29, 2024, the Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces, General TNI Agus Subiyanto, received a batch of 10 Harimau (Tiger) Medium Tanks. The companies FNSS (Türkiye) and PT Pindad (Indonesia) initiated the development of the Modern Medium Weight Tank (MMWT) project to address a request from the Indonesian army for a new 3-man medium tank.
In May 2015, the governments of Indonesia and Turkey agreed to jointly develop the Modern Medium Weight Tank (MMWT) for the Indonesian Army, anticipating a development phase of up to 37 months with a budget of $30 million. This collaboration planned for the construction of the first prototype in Turkey and the second in Indonesia, along with an agreement on shared intellectual property rights for the design. The initial model of the tank was unveiled during the 2016 Indo Defence expo in Indonesia, featuring a vehicle weighing approximately 35 tons and equipped with a Belgian-made Cockerill 105 mm rifled barrel turret, capable of firing a variety of projectiles.
The first prototype was revealed at the Turkish IDEF 2017 expo, showcasing different turret types and modular armor, which allows for quick replacement if damaged. The MMWT was renamed Kaplan MT by Turkey and Harimau Medium Tank by Indonesia, both translating to “tiger.” By September 2018, after completing the necessary qualification tests for the Indonesian Army, the tank was approved for mass production, with the initial batch expected to range from 20 to 25 units and an overall production estimated to be between 200 and 400 units. The start of mass production was officially announced on February 7, 2020.