BMC Delivered 100 Armored Vehicles with Domestic Engines to the Turkish Armed Forces and Gendarmerie
Under a project initiated by the Secretariat of Defence Industries (SSB), BMC delivered 100 tactical wheeled armored vehicles with domestically manufactured engines, to the Turkish Armed Forces (TLFC) and the Gendarmerie General Command.
At a ceremony held at BMC’s Izmir Pınarbaşı facilities, 100 locally produced tactical wheeled armored vehicles, produced in batches by BMC, were officially handed over to the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC) and the Gendarmerie General Command. The event was attended by the Head of the SSB, Prof. Dr. Haluk GÖRGÜN, Land Forces Commander General Selçuk BAYRAKTAROĞLU, Gendarmerie General Commander General Ali ÇARDAKÇI, SSB Department Head of Land Platforms, Ahmet Raci YALÇIN, and BMC Chairman Fuat TOSYALI.
Within the scope of this long-term project, production of the first domestically designed 400-hp TUNA engine began at BMC POWER’s Sakarya Arifiye facility in February 2023, and deliveries were subsequently made. The engine was integrated into 90 VURAN and 10 KİRPİ-II military vehicles produced by BMC.
The 400-horsepower, 8.4-liter, inline four-cylinder engine underwent over 6,500 hours of testing at the test center and 140,000 km of in-vehicle testing, successfully completing rigorous NATO endurance tests. Optimized to withstand all terrain and weather conditions, the vehicles have been made fully mission-ready to meet the TLFC’s tactical requirements.
In his opening speech, SSB Department Head of Land Platforms, Ahmet Raci YALÇIN provided insights into the Tactical Wheeled Armored Vehicles Project’s inception and current status. “Our Tactical Wheeled Armored Vehicles Project actually began in 2016 when the Land Forces Command and Gendarmerie General Command conveyed their requirements to us. Under this project, we did not just deliver a single vehicle—we developed an entire vehicle family and introduced it to the field. The two vehicles that initiated this process were our Mine-Resistant Kirpi and Tactical Wheeled Vuran. Following the initial request, we swiftly signed a contract and started designing activities in 2018. That same year, we completed the design and deployed the vehicle for field qualification. What is truly remarkable is the ability to manufacture such a high number of vehicles in such a short time. Based on operational feedback, we continued developing and producing different vehicle configurations.”
Ahmet Raci YALÇIN: “Over 1,500 Vehicles Exported to More Than 10 Allied Countries”
Ahmet Raci YALÇIN stated: “As a natural outcome of our efforts, we have exported over 1,500 vehicles to more than 10 friendly and allied nations. In terms of localization, we transitioned to a domestic and nationally developed suspension system produced by BASE Studio. Similarly, we worked with BASE Studio to develop and localize the transfer case while continuing deliveries. For armor solutions, we began utilizing Miilux’s locally produced armor steel and collaborated with CES for the localization of composite armor. The pinnacle of our land vehicle advancements is the integration of BMC Power’s domestic TUNA engine, allowing us to deliver Kirpi and Vuran vehicles with fully localized power systems. Previously, export restrictions due to engine constraints prevented us from supplying vehicles to many countries. However, from 2018 to 2025, our localization rate has surged from 60% to an impressive 95%.”
BMC Chairman Fuat TOSYALI emphasized that the delivery of the first armored vehicles with locally developed engines was a direct result of significant investments. “Since acquiring BMC, we have made substantial investments, enabling us to achieve remarkable progress. As Tosyalı Holding, we operate nearly 50 industrial facilities across three continents, with a total annual liquid steel production capacity of 15 million tons. In addition to Türkiye, we have global investments in Algeria, Libya, Angola, Senegal, and Spain. We are the world’s fastest-growing steel company, and we have set a goal to rank among the world’s top 20 steel manufacturers within the next five years. BMC, with a legacy of over $10 billion in value creation, is Türkiye’s most established producer of commercial and defense industry vehicles. For two consecutive years, BMC has been the export leader among land vehicle manufacturers, and I firmly believe we will maintain this position. Our modern facility in Pınarbaşı spans 250,000 m² and employs over 3,500 workers, producing to the highest quality standards. Over the past three years, we have invested 15 billion TRY into BMC. The Arifiye facility has undergone extensive modernization, with all infrastructure dating back to the 1970s being completely renewed. Additionally, we have made investments in the production of tracks and optics.”
BMC Chairman Fuat TOSYALI: "We Are Proud to Achieve 95% Localization in Kirpi and Vuran Vehicles"
TOSYALI continued: “At BMC, we take immense pride in achieving 95% localization in Kirpi and Vuran vehicles, including their engines. We have established one of Europe’s most advanced military test centers, the BMC Power Engine and Transmission Test Center, at our Arifiye facility. The design and development of the BATU powerpack for the New Altay tank and the UTKU powerpack for the Next-Generation Fırtına SPA (Self-Propelled Artillery) were also carried out at Arifiye. This facility is entirely owned by the state, and we are committed to further investments for national benefit. We have strategically abandoned the new facility project at Karasu, opting instead to acquire land in Ankara OSTİM using BMC’s own financial resources. Our newly designed Ankara facilities will form a 1 million m² campus, which will house the BMC Power factory producing localized powerpacks of 400, 600, 1,000, and 1,500 horsepower. Additionally, our armored vehicle factory, expected to be operational by mid-2025, will have a serial production capacity of eight Altay tanks and ten Altuğ 8x8 vehicles per month. Today, we proudly announce that we have entered the countdown phase for the serial production of the domestically and nationally developed tank, a project 25 years in the making. The New Altay, designed to meet TLFC’s latest requirements, has been made fully ready for serial production. As part of our ongoing R&D and investment initiatives, we have successfully delivered 100 domestically powered tactical wheeled armored vehicles (90 VURAN and 10 KİRPİ-II) to the Turkish Armed Forces and Gendarmerie General Command.”
Head of SSB Prof. Dr. Haluk GÖRGÜN: "Türkiye’s Defense Industry Continues to Grow with Determination"
In his closing speech, the Secretary of Turkish Defence Industries, Prof. Dr. Haluk GÖRGÜN, expressed his pride in delivering armored vehicles equipped with domestically produced engines and extended his gratitude to all contributors to the project. Emphasizing the strong technological capabilities of Türkiye’s defense industry, GÖRGÜN also provided updates on the SSB’s plans for 2025. “A total of 50 Vuran vehicles have been delivered to the Land Forces Command, 40 Vuran vehicles to the Gendarmerie General Command, and 10 Kirpi vehicles have entered the inventory of the Land Forces Command. Türkiye’s defense industry, which is admired globally, not only meets the needs of our esteemed security forces and armed forces but also strives to support the needs of friendly and allied nations through our entire defense ecosystem. Last year, we had set an export target of $6.5 billion, but we exceeded that by 29%, reaching $7.1 billion. Over the past two years alone, Turkish defense companies have signed export contracts totaling $20 billion. Our goal is not just to provide advanced technology but also to offer cost-effective solutions to our allied nations. In the field of land vehicles, Türkiye holds a distinct position, with highly capable companies meeting user demands at the highest level. Currently, more than 3,600 vehicles are actively in service with our security forces.”
GÖRGÜN continued: “As of now, an additional 500 vehicles are under contract, being manufactured, and will soon be ready for delivery. I would also like to highlight that Turkish companies have exported nearly 5,000 land vehicles to more than 40 countries. We will mandate the use of domestically produced engines in all land vehicles on suitable platforms. Regardless of the platform, these engines will be integrated into procurement processes by the SSB. One of our key expectations and announcements for this year is the commencement of serial production of our main battle tank in the second half of the year, with deliveries to our heroic armed forces. This will be a major milestone. In addition, we will complete the delivery of at least two upgraded M60T tanks per month, continue our kamikaze UGV projects, and proceed with deliveries of the Marine Assault Vehicles (MAV/ZAHA). Moreover, contracts for new-generation 6x6 and 8x8 vehicles will be signed, and the configuration and qualification processes for the Special Purpose Tactical Wheeled Armored Vehicles in five different variants will be finalized. The delivery of vehicles under the AAPC and ACV modernization programs will also be among our key land vehicle initiatives for 2025”
