Otokar, the largest privately owned defence industry company in Turkey, after designing and manufacturing the “Altay” main battle tank, has now completed the tough qualification testing stage including mobility and endurance testing on rough terrain and climatic conditions, firing tests with various scenarios and survivability testing against the highest performance ATGMs, kinetic energy rounds and mines. 

Serial Production

Late in 2014, as per contractual requirement, Otokar submitted Serial Production Requirements Document to the Undersecretariat for Defence Industry (UDI) for preview. Following; UDI issued the Call for Phase II: Serial Production Proposal in 2015, to start serial production preparations of main battle tank Altay simultaneously in accordance with the contract terms and realize its serial production without losing time.

The only authorized company to receive this document, Otokar submitted its first and last serial production proposals on January 18, 2016, and BAFO proposal on August 29, 2016, respectively. Otokar’s last proposal as the only bidding company includes the serial production of 250 Altay MBT and Integrated Logistics Support activities for them. Currently BAFO proposal is being evaluated by UDI.

Regarding the tests and serial production of Altay, Otokar General Manager Mr. Serdar Görgüç said; 

“The ‘Acceptance Tests’ carried out by UDI and the Land Forces Command for Altay are finalised. After being subjected to such a qualification and acceptance testing by the customer and meeting the ultimate requirements under extreme conditions successfully, we are confident that Altay will be one of the best modern main battle tanks on the field very soon. 

Equipped with all the competencies required to successfully carry out the serial production of the Altay main battle tank, Otokar submitted its best and final offer for serial production in August 2016. As the only land defence systems manufacturer with the “Production Permit Certificate” in Turkey required for serial production of the main battle tank, Otokar has prepared the necessary production schedule and infrastructure to launch serial production in the shortest time possible. 

In addition to producing 250 units of Altay, Otokar made an annual capacity plan taking into consideration the export potential, mine clearance, and various complementary vehicle requirements such as rescue and fortification tank. In this way, it aims to have a flexible production program that can meet all demands of the Undersecretariat of Defense Industries or other friendly allied countries. 

I believe that if we are tasked with the serial production of Altay, we will go beyond satisfying the needs of our country in the best possible way, and take an important step forward in exports as well. The interest of friendly and allied nations in the prototype of the national main battle tank Altay indicates that this project will also contribute positively to Turkey’s defense industry exports in the long run.”