Türkiye's domestically produced Altay main battle tank will enter the Turkish army’s inventory in 2025, the head of the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), Haluk Görgün, said on Monday during a visit to BMC's Ankara production facility.
Pointing out that both armored vehicle production and engine and power transmission production required by armored vehicles will be carried out at the facility in the Kahramankazan district, Görgün noted that its construction activities are continuing rapidly.
"This year, as promised, we will deliver our first mass-produced tanks to our heroic army. Our current plans are to open our facility in August and start and continue the process of producing all our armored vehicles," he said.
"The Altay tank project we are carrying out is a highly anticipated high-tech platform. More than 600 companies are working on this platform. Of course, our main contractor, BMC, and companies such as Aselsan, Roketsan and Havelsan are working together," Görgün explained.
"After delivering three tanks in 2025, we will deliver a total of 85 tanks in the T1 configuration: 11 next year, then 41 and 30 the following year," he added.
He also said that a total of 165 tanks will be delivered in 2028, emphasizing that the tank has many high-tech subsystems, considering its firepower, command control and auxiliary systems in terms of its operational capability.
Görgün said that Türkiye is in a position to be appreciated in the world in terms of land vehicles and that more than 4,500 armored vehicles have been delivered to approximately 50 countries.
"We continue our efforts to increase the rate of localization and nationalization," he added.
At the same time, it was announced on Monday that the Turkish defense industry's new-generation PARS ALPHA 8x8 and 6x6 armored vehicles would enter the Turkish Armed Forces' (TSK) inventory for the first time.
Turkish defense firm FNSS and SSB signed the contract for the "Next-Generation Vehicle Project" at a ceremony Monday, according to a statement by the firm.
FNSS will deliver the PARS ALPHA 8x8 Anti-Armor Squad and Armored Recovery variants in the first phase of the contract and the PARS ALPHA 6x6 command post variants with four different mission equipment.
The PARS ALPHA was developed with FNSS' 35 years of experience and achievements as the fifth-generation vehicle in the PARS family of products.
The vehicle offers advanced mobility "through all terrain and any weather conditions (with) its innovative all-wheel-drive, ride-height control and all-axle steering system."
Its high carrying capacity enables the vehicle to be easily integrated with different systems and the 8x8 configuration is suitable for modern military logistics.
