Having undertaken the task of producing Turkey's first domestic automobile "Devrim" ("Revolution"), Eskişehir is also eying the production rights to Turkey's main battle tank Altay which is being built in domestic facilities.
While working for the production of domestic engines in various fields ranging from cruise missiles to jets and from helicopters to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), Turkey is also giving weight to the production process of the national battle tank, Altay.
It was reported that Türkiye Lokomotif ve Motor Sanayi AŞ. (TÜLOMSAŞ), which has operated in Eskişehir for over a century and produced the first national automobile "Devrim," along with TUSAŞ Engine Industries, Inc. (TEI), a leading manufacturer in the production, maintenance and installation of aircraft engine parts and modules as well as testing technology in the city, now have the ability to produce the domestic engine for the national tank, Altay.
Eskişehir Chamber of Industry Chairman Savaş Özaydemir stated that production of the domestic tank engine in Eskişehir will be one of the wisest decisions made in recent years, informing that truck engines with 400-500 horsepower (HP) engines are being built at the Ford Otosan company based in Eskişehir. Noting that TÜLOMSAŞ produces 1,000 HP engines as well as electric engines, Özaydemir added that the TEI, with facilities and a design-friendly head structure, also produces jet engines. "There is also accumulation in TÜLOMSAŞ. If the two companies come together, the national tank engine can be produced easily in Eskisehir. The national push to make ‘Devrim' in 145 days will help speed up the process of production of this engine," he noted.
TEI General Manager Mahmut Akşit also stated that they are leading the way in the country in terms of design in piston engine technology, adding that they started development of the first domestic UAV diesel engine, one of the company's original designs, in January.
Informing that this engine was entirely built according to its original design, analysis and the development of TEI engineers, Akşit said the engine, developed with their engineering activities and manufactured by their sub-industry, is a completely original 170 HP diesel engine, stressing that all design and development activities were conducted by the company. Pointing out that in terms of heavy diesel TÜLOMSAŞ is the only place with a competent manufacturing and testing infrastructure in Turkey, Akşit stated that the organization is currently producing 2,400-2,500 HP engines.
"TÜLOMSAŞ's infrastructure for heavy diesel is complete. It is the only institution with all the requirements. Regarding the development of the national tank engines, TÜLOMSAŞ should be the main producer of this project," Akşit said, underlining that by combining their ability to develop a completely original diesel engine and supporting TÜLOMSAŞ, Eskişehir is the most qualified place to bring this national tank to Turkey in the shortest time possible.
"I think Eskişehir will be the best place to produce this national tank engine in the fastest and most convenient way by combining the knowledge, skills and power of TÜLOMSAŞ in manufacturing with the power of the TEI in design," he said, stressing that they are interested in the production of the domestic tank engine with TÜLOMSAŞ.