Contract signed for Turkish battle tank mass production
The first of 250 Altay next-generation battle tanks will roll off assembly line within 18 months, under the contract, reports say.
Turkey's first military tank, the Altay, seen during a military parade on Victory Day in Ankara, Turkey, August 30, 2015.
A landmark deal was signed on Friday for mass production of Turkey’s first domestically made main battle tank, Anadolu news agency reported.
The Defence Industries Presidency and a Turkish-Qatari armoured vehicle maker BMC signed the contract for the Altay, a next-generation battle tank.
The first Altay tank will roll off the assembly line within 18 months and will be delivered to the Turkish army.
Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığımız ile BMC arasında ALTAY Seri Üretim Projesi Sözleşmesi imzalandı. Altay seri üretiminden sonra insansız tankımızı da üreteceğiz. pic.twitter.com/SUPqIx9r7A
— SSB (@SavunmaSanayii) November 9, 2018
The contract includes mass production and life-cycle logistical support for 250 units.
The Altay, Turkey's first main battle tank development programme, includes electronic command and control systems, a 120-mm gun, and armour, all made by Turkish companies.
The prototype for the Altay was unveiled at a 2011 defence show in Istanbul, Turkey's commercial capital.
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