Altay (tank)

For other uses, see Altai.

Altay
Altay T1
TypeMain battle tank
Place of originTurkey
Service history
In service2025 (expected)[1]
Used byTurkish Land Forces[2]
Production history
DesignerOtokar (design and development including prototypes)[3][4][5]
Hyundai Rotem (design assistance and transfer of technology)[6][7][8][9][10]
BMC (main contractor and responsible for further developments)[11]
Aselsan (sub-systems and fire control system)[11][12]
MKEK (main gun system)[2][11]
Hyundai WIA (transfer of 120 mm 55 caliber smoothbore gun production technology)[6][7][8][9]
Roketsan (armor package)[2][11][13]
Samyang Comtech (technology transfer of armor package)[8][14][15]
Poongsan Corporation (armor package design assistance)[8]
HAVELSAN[11]
Designed2008–2016
ManufacturerBMC[11][16]
Unit costUSD $13.75 million[17]
Produced2024-present [18]
No. built5 + 2 prototypes. 2 prototypes are delivered to TAF out of 100 units, remaining 98 are expected to be delivered after 2025 .[19][20] 250 planned in the first stage[21]
Specifications
Mass65 tonnes (72 short tons; 64 long tons)[22]
Length7.3 metres (24 ft) (hull), 10.3 metres (34 ft) (gun forward)[23]
Width3.9 metres (13 ft)[23]
Height2.6 metres (8.5 ft)[23]
Armor
Main
armament
MKE 120 mm smoothbore tank gun[28]
Secondary
armament
1 × Remote controlled weapon station equipped with 12.7 mm / 7.62 mm machine gun[29]
1 x 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun[29]
EngineLot 1: HD Hyundai Infracore DV27K 4-long stroke, 12-cylinder water-cooled diesel, dry weight: 2550 kg
1,500 hp (1,110 kW)[30][31]
Lot 2: BMC Power BATU V12 4-short stroke, 12-cylinder water-cooled diesel
1,500 hp (1,100 kW)[30][31]
Power/weight23 hp/t (17.15 kW/t)
TransmissionLot 1: SNT Dynamics EST15K (6 forward, 3 reverse gears), dry weight: 2500 kg[30][31]
Lot 2: BMC Power BATU V12 Cross Drive (6 forward, 2 reverse gears)[30][31]
SuspensionNon-active in-arm suspension unit (ISU)[32] with automatic track tension system (ATTS)[33]
Operational
range
450 kilometres (280 mi)(Altay T1 with 1,500 hp engine)[34]
Maximum speed On road: 65 km/h (40 mph)
Off road: 45 km/h (28 mph) (Altay T1 with 1,500 hp engine)[33]

Altay (English: Red foal/colt or Altai) is a Turkish fourth generation[35] main battle tank designed by Otokar based on South Korean K2 Black Panther to be produced by BMC under design assistance and technology transfer by Hyundai Rotem.[6][7][8][9][10] It is named in honor of Army General Fahrettin Altay[36] who commanded the 5th Cavalry Corps in the final stage of the Turkish War of Independence. With a unit cost of 13.75 million dollars, the tank design cost is on par with and competitive when compared with relative projects.[37] The first mass production of Altay will be combined with MKE made 55 calibre 120 mm main gun, Roketsan made both advanced composite and reactive armor package along with Aselsan made electronics such as active protection, remote controlled weapon and fire control systems while using HD Hyundai Infracore engine and SNT Dynamics transmission.[30][31] The tank is in production according to the Turkish media.[38]

  1. ^ "ALTAY Tankı'nın Yeni Seri Üretim Tarihi Açıklandı". 9 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Altay MBT". Military Factory. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  3. ^ "A century of the tank Mark 1 vs Altay" (PDF). Otokar. 7 June 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 October 2015. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  4. ^ "Otokar launches Turkey's first Altay tank prototypes". Army Technology. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference roketsan1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c Hyundai Rotem (31 July 2008). "터키 전차개발 기술협력 계약 체결". Hyundai Rotem. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  7. ^ a b c Kim Gwigeun (11 October 2009). "'흑표' 기술수출료 2014년까지 사용유예". Yonhap News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b c d e Choi Seunguk (20 October 2014). "[방산업계 울리는 ADD] 터키 수출 K-2전차 기술료 다 챙겨…'700억 돈잔치' 벌이겠다는 ADD". Korea Economic Daily. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  9. ^ a b c Army Recognition (1 October 2021). "Altay MBT Main Battle Tank". Army Recognition. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Defense Export". Agency for Defense Development. Archived from the original on 30 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e f "ALTAY". TURKISH DEFENCE INDUSTRY PRODUCT CATALOGUE. Archived from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Altay Tankı Özellikleri". 9og. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2014.
  13. ^ "Turkey's Altay Tank: Will It Really Be Ready for War This Year?". The National Interest. 10 June 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  14. ^ "회사연혁". Samyang Comtech. Archived from the original on 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  15. ^ "History". Samyang Comtech. 2021. Archived from the original on 3 May 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
  16. ^ "Contract signed for mass production of Turkish battle tank – Latest News". Hürriyet Daily News. 9 November 2018. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  17. ^ "Altay tankı projesi için teklifler haftaya". 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 17 May 2016. Retrieved 20 April 2016.
  18. ^ "SSB Başkanı müjdeyi TRT Haber'de açıkladı: Altay tankı seri üretime geçti". 29 May 2024.
  19. ^ "BMC Yetkilileri: "ALTAY Tankı 2023'te Teslim Edilecek"". 20 October 2022.
  20. ^ "İki adet yeni Altay Tankı, testleri için Kara Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı'na teslim edildi". Defense Here. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  21. ^ "ALTAY tankının da üretileceği fabrikanın temeli atıldı | SavunmaSanayiST". 11 April 2024.
  22. ^ "Altay Main Battle Tank". Army Technology. 15 June 2011. Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  23. ^ a b c "Army Guide – Altay". Army Guide. Retrieved 8 April 2014. [permanent dead link‍]
  24. ^ "Special Armor Plate for K1A1 Tank, K2 Tank, Altay Tank". Samyang Comtech. Archived from the original on 2 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  25. ^ "AKKOR" (PDF). Aselsan. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  26. ^ Melike Günaydın (5 June 2021). "Duplicate production and deliveries of the PULAT Active Protection System continue". Defence Turk. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  27. ^ Luca Peruzzi (4 March 2022). "Active Protection Systems and Suite Controllers for Combat Vehicles". European Security & Defence. Archived from the original on 17 March 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2022.
  28. ^ "ALTAY WEAPON SYSTEM". TURKISH DEFENCE INDUSTRY PRODUCT CATALOGUE. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  29. ^ a b "Turkey to conduct field tests with its local-made Altay tank fitted with Turkish powerpack". Army Recognition. 3 April 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  30. ^ a b c d e "Engine to power Turkey's long-awaited MBT Altay arrives from S. Korea". Daily Sabah. 14 March 2022. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  31. ^ a b c d e "South Korean Doosan Infracore delivers DV27K engine to power Turkish Altay MBT". Army Recognition. 15 March 2022. Archived from the original on 16 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  32. ^ "ALTAY Ana Muharebe Tankı". BMC Otomotiv. 2023. Archived from the original on 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  33. ^ a b "ALTAY". BMC Otomotiv. 2023. Archived from the original on 4 January 2023. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  34. ^ Cite error: The named reference TankAltayT1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  35. ^ Episkopos, Mark (16 July 2021). "Meet the Altay: How Turkey is Building a Fourth Generation Tank". The National Interest. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  36. ^ "Milli tank 'altay' için yola çıkıldı – Ekonomi Haberleri". Radikal. 30 July 2008. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  37. ^ "Altay tankı projesi için teklifler haftaya". 11 January 2016.
  38. ^ "Altay tankı seri üretime geçti". www.ntv.com.tr (in Turkish). Retrieved 31 May 2024.