Altay (tank)

Altay MBT Type Main battle tank Place of origin  Turkey Service history In service 2015 (exp.)[1] Production history Designer Otokar Rotem Aselsan Roketsan Designed 2008–2012 Manufacturer 1st Army Maintenance Center Command[citation needed] Unit cost $5.5 million (est.)[citation needed] Specifications Weight 60 tonnes (66 short tons; 59 long tons) (est.)[citation needed] Crew 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver) Armor Under development Main armament MKEK 120 mm 55 caliber smoothbore gun[2] Secondary armament 1 x Aselsan STAMP/II stabilized remote controlled turret 1 x 12.7 mm heavy machine gun Engine Multi-fuel 1500+ hp 1st and 2nd batches (MTU) 1800+ hp 3rd and 4th batches (indigenous) Suspension Torsion bar[citation needed] Speed 70 km/h (43 mph) max.

Altay is the official name of the projected Turkish third-generation main battle tank (part of the MİTÜP (Milli Tank Üretimi Projesi, English: National Tank Production Project)).^[3] It is named in honor of Army General Fahrettin Altay (1880–1974)^[4] who commanded the 5th Cavalry Corps in the final stage of the Turkish War of Independence.

History

The project was initiated with an agreement signed between Otokar and Undersecretariat for Defense Industries of the Republic of Turkey on 30 March 2007, when the Defense Industries Executive Committee, chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, awarded a contract worth approximately $500 million to Otokar for the design, development and production of 4 prototypes of a national main battle tank. This will be Turkey's first MBT development program since 1943, when prototypes of a Turkish national tank were produced in Kırıkkale^{[citation needed]}, but never reached full-scale mass production.

Otokar, a company owned by Istanbul-based Koç Holding, is one of the major automotive manufacturers in Turkey. Otokar, providing solutions both in commercial and military range since 1963,^[5] produced more than 25,000 units of military vehicle so far.^[6]

Subsequently, in accordance with the later Defense Industries Executive Committee ruling, subcontractors were selected as follows:
- Technical Support Enabler, Rotem
- Fire Control System and Command Control Communication Information System subcontractor, Aselsan
- 120 mm 55 caliber Primary Weapon subcontractor, state owned MKEK (Mechanical and Chemical Industries Corporation),
- Armour subcontractor, Roketsan^[7]

Development

In order to improve the current technical capabilities of the Turkish defense industries and increase the amount of domestic contribution towards national defense, the Undersecreteriat for Defense Industries decided that a "National Tank" will serve as an excellent catalyst for uniting certain Turkish defense companies around a common goal and for providing the Turkish military with extra firepower in the form of a modern tank.

Three local sub-contractors have already been selected. The military electronics company Aselsan will manufacture and integrate state-of-the-art Volkan-III modular fire control system, command, control and information systems while state-owned MKEK (Mechanical and Chemical Industries Corporation) agreed for the production and integration of the Rheinmetall 120 mm gun. Another state company Roketsan will design an indigenous armor.

Once the prototypes are produced and tested, the Undersecreteriat for Defense Industries of the Republic of Turkey will prepare and execute a separate order for the first lot of 250 tanks. A total of 1000 MBTs are planned to be produced in four separate lots of 250 units. Every delivered lot is expected to have additional upgrades.^[8]

Design

The tank is projected to have a 120 mm smoothbore gun and will be protected against chemical, biological and radioactive attacks. The planned maximum speed is set at 70 kilometers per hour, thanks to a 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) engine (the first two batches will have 1,500 hp engines), and the MBTs will be able to function under 4.1 meters of water.

The tank will benefit both from indigenously developed systems and from the armor technology of the South Korean K2 Black Panther, thanks to the agreement signed with South Korea. The candidates for the engine are German MTU Friedrichshafen and the new South Korean engine which is currently under development. The first two batches will be powered by the 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) MTU engines whereas the last two batches will be powered by an indigenous 1,800 hp engine.^[9] On 16 June 2008, SSM and industry members discussed a possible participation for the development of 1,800 hp (1,300 kW) indigenous power pack for use in the armoured personnel carriers and main battle tanks produced in Turkey.

First 3D picture of Turkey’s new main battle tank, Altay, was released to public on 7 April 2010 during a press release by SSM.

Altay appears to share strong chasis characteristics with its technological base, the South Korean K2 Black Panther, with a re-designed Turkish turret and Aselsan’s state-of-the-art Volkan-III modular fire control system. The tank will be fielded with a STANAG 4579 compatible battlefield target identification system that ensures interoperability among small tank units. The number of wheels have been increased to seven, which translates to a longer hull, heavier armor and increased survivability.

According to reports, a military envoy from Colombia was also present at the press meeting to obtain more information about the tank.^[10]

The Minister of National Defense of South Korea Lee Sang-Hee and Minister of National Defense of Turkey Vecdi Gönül at the signing ceremony of the Altay project

First prototype

On 29 April 2009, the head of the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, Murad Bayar has confirmed at the 9th IDEX International, Defense Industry Fair in Abu Dhabi, that the Turkish tank will be manufactured using only Turkish resources. He added that the research started last week and that he expected to create an authentic tank model specially designed for the needs of the Turkish Armed Forces within 3 years.^[7]

As of September 2010, with approval of the tank subsystems and software by Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, Conceptual Design Phase of the Altay project has been completed. Thus, the project advanced to Detailed Design Phase scheduled to last 30,5 months. The scope of the Detailed Design Phase is to design and integrate interfaces for the selected tank subsystems.^[11]

On 15 October 2010, Otokar signed contract with MTU and Renk for the supply of power pack.^[11]

On 15 December 2010, Defence Industry Executive Committee decided to start the development of national power pack.^[12]

On 10 May 2011, Aselsan was contracted by the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries to design and develop two Battlefield Target Identification Device (BTID) prototypes.^[13]

On 11 May 2011, the mock-up of Altay tank was introduced to the public in IDEF 2011.^[14]

See also

• Turkish Army
• Modern equipment and uniform of the Turkish Army
• List of main battle tanks by country

References and notes

1. ^ Otokar'in milli tanki, milli cosku yaratti, Ruhi Sanyer, Radikal, 16 October 2010
2. ^ Otokar Altay MBT (Turkey), Jane's Armour and Artillery, 17 Mart 2010
3. ^ Altay Project, Undersecretariat for Defense Industries
4. ^ Tolga Anıker, "Milli tank 'altay' için yola çıkıldı", Radikal, 30 July 2008. (Turkish)
5. ^ Otokar Automotive and Defence Industries
6. ^ (Turkish) Iste ilk Türk tankı Altay'ın özellikleri by Bülent Aydemir, 28 July 2008
7. ^ ^{a b} "‘ATAK helicopter to be airborne before end of 2009’". Todayszaman.com. http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=168240&bolum=105. Retrieved 17 April 2010. 
8. ^ Turkish MBT Project, TurkishPress, 17 July 2006
9. ^ (in Turkish) Türk Kara Savunma Sektörünün Ulaştığı Nokta ve Hedefler, archived from the original on 20 May 2008, http://web.archive.org/web/20080520235735/http://www.ssm.gov.tr/TR/duyurular/basinaciklamalari/Pages/KARAARA%C3%87LARIEND%C3%9CSTR%C4%B0G%C3%9CN%C3%9CVEG%C3%9C%C3%87S%C4%B0STEMLER%C4%B0%C3%87ALI%C5%9ETAYI%2816-17Haziran2008%29.aspx 
10. ^ Otokar unveils the Altay MBT, TRDefence, 7 April 2010
11. ^ ^{a b} Otokar Newsletter, September 2010
12. ^ Defence Industry Executive Committee press release, Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, 15 December 2010
13. ^ Battlefield Identification Device Project, Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, 25 August 2011
14. ^ IDEF 2011 Altay mock-up