Türkiye's Altay tank to enter national inventory in 2025

By Mustafa Calkaya and Mucahithan Avcioglu

ANKARA/ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye's locally produced Altay main battle tank will enter the Turkish army’s inventory in 2025, the head of Türkiye’s Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB), Haluk Gorgun, announced Monday at 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, Gorgun noted that its construction activities are continuing rapidly.

"This year, as promised, we will be delivering our first mass-produced tanks to our heroic army. Our current plans are to open our facility in August and to start and continue the process for the production of all our armored vehicles," he said.

“After delivering three ALTAY 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.

Gorgun 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.

Altay, Türkiye's first locally produced main battle tank, is being produced by BMC