Company BMC from Turkey unveils new design for indigenous Altay Main Battle Tank

Defense News January 2021 Global Security army industry
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During a live demonstration, the Turkish company BMC has unveiled the latest design of the Altay indigenous MBT (Main Battle Tank). The first prototype of the Altay MBT was designed by the Turkish company OTOKAR. In November 2018, the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) inked a contract with BMC to start the mass production of Altay MBT that will include a total of 250 tanks.
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New design for the Turkish-made Altay MBT Main Battle Tank produced by the Turkish company BMC. (Picture source video footage BMC)

According to our first analysis, the new design of the Turkish-made Altay MBT (Main Battle Tank) includes a new armor around the turret and the roof of the turret is fitted with APS (Active Protection System). According to the Turkish defense industry, the new Add-on-armor is produced by the Turkish Company Roketsan while the APS could be the Akkor produced by the Turkish company Aselsan.

The Akkor is an APS (Active Protection System) consisting of launcher pods and radar detection systems mounted around the turret. The APS is equipped with both hard-kill and soft-kill functionalities as an Electronic Warfare (EW) Self Protection suit, provides complete protection against all kinds of anti-tank missiles and rockets for the armored vehicles with an optimum time and the safest distance range from the platform. The Akkor provides 360-degree full protection coverage against not only conventional but also asymmetric threats in the operational environment of main battle tanks.

The main armament of the Altay MBT consists of one 120 mm 55 caliber smoothbore gun designed and manufactured by the Turkish Company MKE based on technology transfer from Hyundai Rotem of South Korea. A remote-controlled weapon station is mounted on the top of the turret which is armed with a 12.7mm caliber heavy machine gun.

According to Roketsan, the company has designed and developed composite and explosive reactive armors (ERA) for lightly and heavily armored vehicles. The Roketsan armor package mounted on the Altay MBT provides a high level of protection against ballistic threats as well as Mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). The mine kits provide protection against mines in accordance with STANAG Levels II-IV.

The Altay MBT will be powered by a local-made Batu V configured 12 cylinders turbo diesel engine developing 1,500 hp.