Turkish Military Receives Altay's Domestic Made Main Combat Tank

President Erdogan at the launch of MBT Altay. (Twitter/@RTErdogan)

JAKARTA - Turkey is entering a new era of tank technology, along with the country's military starting to receive a domestically made Battle Tank (MBT) called Altay at the end of last month.

The tank's first shipment for the military was directly supervised by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

"With Altay, we have entered a new era in tank technology," President Erdogan said at an event in Ankara, as reported by the Daily Sabah on November 5.

"We are taking decisive steps towards Turkey's fully independent goal in the defense industry," he said.

Furthermore, on this occasion, President Erdogan also inaugurated a high-tech facility where the tanks and units of the Batu machines will be produced.

This new generation of tank engines is being developed by the BMC machine and power system, BMC Power. Its power units continue to undergo trials, including road tests as far as 10,000 kilometers (6,215 miles).

The mass production process has started using imported power units.

Eight Altay tanks will be produced every month, President Erdogan said, with the BMC plant will produce 96 platforms per year, said Head of the Presidency of the Defense Industry (SSB) Haluk Görg Yunin.

Three tanks are expected to enter the Turkish Army inventory late last month. In this project, a total of 250 85 units in the T1 and 165 units configurations in the T2 configuration will be delivered to the armed forces.

The plant will also produce 10 new generation of armored combat vehicles, Altu totaling 8x8 per month, according to President Erdogan.

Currently, Turkey produces various kinds of domestic vehicles and types of weapons, including its own drones, missiles, and naval vessels. Turkey is also developing its own fifth-generation fighter jet.

"Through the steps we have taken over the past 23 years, especially in the defense, diplomacy and security industries, we have turned Turkey into an inevitable country," President Erdogan said.

"With our advanced air, land and sea vehicles, we continue to carve out a new chapter in history," he continued.

"We are no longer the nation that follows; we are now the nation that is followed," said President Erdogan.

The President said external dependence in the defense industry had fallen below 20 percent, compared to more than 80 percent more than two decades ago.

"We are now able to meet almost all of our security forces' needs with domestically developed vehicles and defense equipment," he added.

MBT Altay's capabilities and specifications have been improved to meet the conditions of modern combat environments. Many of its subsystems have been localized and will be equipped with the latest technology and innovation to improve its combat capabilities.

Its firing control system includes modern technologies such as laser distance seekers (LRF) and advanced image stabilization systems, which allow precise target detection and targeting at long distances.