Türkiye signs serial production contract for Altay MBT

Türkiye is moving towards serial production of the Altay MBT. (SSB)

Türkiye signed a contract on the serial production of the Altay main battle tank (MBT), the Turkish Defence Industry Agency (SSB) announced on 29 May. The agency said on its website that the Altay project would meet the modern tank requirements of the Turkish Land Forces and would acquire technology for the design, production, and testing of tanks and their subsystems in Türkiye.

The SSB set out the scope of the project – establishment of a serial production line, the supply of subsystems for the tank and domestic development of those of foreign origin, development of parts that are different from those of the tanks produced during the initial period, preparations for the production of the first tanks, and supply of the powerpack.

“We are moving to serial production of the Altay tank,” SSB president Haluk Görgün told public broadcaster TRT Haber on 29 May. “There are countries that want to work with us on this internationally, and we are continuing our negotiations with them.”

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) received their first two Altay MBTs for testing from domestic manufacturer BMC in April 2023. Altay is armed with a 120 mm L/55 smoothbore gun and 7.62 mm co-axial machine gun and can carry 40 120 mm rounds. The tanks feature a new active protection system, an improved armour system, a renewed fire-control system and vehicle control system, and other localised subsystems.

BMC unveiled the new Altay with Aselsan's Örümcek 360° situational awareness system in March 2023. The tanks delivered were powered by South Korean engines.