Turkey has officially delivered its first domestically produced BMC Altay main battle tanks to the Turkish Armed Forces, marking a major milestone in the nation’s defense modernization drive. The handover ceremony took place in Kahramankazan, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan presiding over the event. Three Altay tanks were showcased, each featuring advanced armor protection, cutting-edge targeting systems, and a 360-degree active defense suite capable of countering anti-tank missiles and direct fire threats.
Designed with a strong focus on local innovation, the Altay incorporates indigenous sensors, optics, and control electronics, significantly reducing reliance on foreign suppliers. While the initial production models are powered by South Korean engines, future variants will integrate Turkey’s BATU power unit, which is currently undergoing road tests.
The Altay project, initiated in 2007, has faced multiple challenges, including export restrictions and supply delays. However, Turkish leadership emphasized that the nation persisted with the program as part of its broader goal of defense self-sufficiency. The ceremony also marked the inauguration of the Tank and Next-Generation Armored Vehicles Production Facility, an 840,000-square-meter complex dedicated to assembling, testing, and distributing advanced armored vehicles.
The new facility will produce eight Altay tanks per month, reaching nearly 100 units annually, alongside 10 Altuğ 8×8 armored vehicles each month. Employing around 1,500 personnel, the site will also host research and testing operations. Altay deliveries are expected to ramp up steadily—11 tanks in 2026, 41 in 2027, and 30 in 2028—before transitioning to the Altay T2 variant powered by the homegrown BATU engine.
