Erdogan on new Altay tanks: “We are no longer just a nation that follows, we are a nation that is followed”

Erdogan on new Altay tanks: “We are no longer just a nation that follows, we are a nation that is followed”

The Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan “attended” the opening of the BMC New Generation Tank and Armored Vehicle Production Factory in Ankara and the handover ceremony of the first new chariots battle of Altay, of the Turkish army.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his speech about Turkey’s new tanks, thanked all the guests who attended the ceremony, especially the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Qatar, Sheikh Saud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan bin Ali Al Thani.

The Turkish president emphasized the importance his government attaches to the domestic industry and stated that two months ago, they delivered the “Steel Dome” consisting of 47 vehicles to the Turkish army, inaugurated 14 production facilities at ASELSAN and laid the foundation of the Ogulbey Technology Base, which has an investment value of 1.5 billion dollars.

Speaking about the tank production facility that was inaugurated today, Tuesday 28.10.2025, Erdogan said, among other things: “In this huge facility, which covers an area of ​​840,000 square meters with the research and development centers, testing grounds, armored workshops and training tracks, more than 1,500 specialized personnel will work. A comprehensive technology base, from robotic welding systems to advanced sensor technologies, from simulation infrastructure to data analysis, will be integrated into our defense ecosystem.”

“Eight Altay tanks and 10 Altuğ tanks, described as the fortress of the battlefield, will be manufactured monthly in our mass production line with an enclosed area of ​​63,000 square meters. As with our other defense products, our goal for the Altay tanks is to be independent, especially for critical materiel.”

Erdogan emphasized that the ongoing military, political and economic competition on a global scale is changing in size and shape every day.

“We continue to make history with our state-of-the-art air, land and sea vehicles. We are no longer just a nation that follows, we are a nation that is followed. From advanced weapon systems to complex protection packages, from support units to electronic warfare infrastructure, every move and every product is eagerly awaited. Our more than 3,500 defense industry companies and over 100,000 specialized personnel in the field continue to work diligently, directly contributing to global peace, tranquility and security,” the Turkish president said.

“We are proud to deliver today to our heroic army the first of the Altay tanks, which have passed all the stages with 1.5 million hours of engineering, a testing process covering 35,000 kilometers and 3,700 live rounds. Equipped with new systems to ensure maximum adaptability to the current combat environment, the Altay main battle tank was developed to meet the most demanding environmental conditions,” Erdogan continued.

The new tanks of the Turkish army have successfully completed fire, endurance and mobility tests and will continue to be delivered in increasing numbers in the coming years.

“Together with Altay, we will deliver the Leopard 2A4 modernization project next year,” Erdogan announced.

“I would also like to emphasize that with the Altay, we are opening the doors to a new era in tank technology. With the experience we gained during production and development, we have gained significant capability, from digital control systems to decision-making structures supported by artificial intelligence, from autonomous driving capabilities to advanced protection systems,” said the Turkish president.

Altay’s capabilities

According to the current delivery schedule of the armored battle tanks, a total of 85 Altay T1s are expected to be delivered by 2028, of which the first three were delivered today and then the Turkish Army will receive:

  • 11 tanks in 2026,
  • 41 tanks in 2027,
  • 30 tanks in 2028.

Theoretically, after 2028, the delivery of 165 Altay T2 will begin, which will be an upgraded version of the Turkish tanks, with the main difference being that they will incorporate the Turkish-made BATU-type 1,500 hp engine (still in the final testing stage) and Turkish technology operating systems and equipment.

The Altay can develop a maximum speed of 65 kilometers per hour, has a crew of four (leader, loader, gunner, driver), an operational range of 450 kilometers, and is armed with a 120 mm L/55 smoothbore cannon, a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, a remote-controlled weapon system with a 12.7 machine gun millimeters, one more 7.6mm machine gun and a 40mm grenade launcher.

Source: OnAlert.gr

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