The 65-ton Altay T1 is a third-generation MBT based on South Korea’s famed K2 Black Panther, but with features specific to Turkey’s Land Forces.
Turkish media is reporting that its largest national defense contractor has announced that delivery of the first Altay T1 main battle tank (MBT) will be made this month. BMC Otomotiv Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş., Turkey’s largest producer of commercial and military vehicles, developed the indigenously-produced tank, which is powered by a South Korean-made 1,500-horsepower DV27K diesel engine and EST15K transmission.
The NATO nation is set to receive 85 of the Altay T1s in the coming months. While the modern MBTs will further bolster Ankara’s already massive tank force, one of the largest in Europe, they will also allow the Turkish military to retire many of its oldest models. There is already speculation that the Turkish Defense Industry Agency (SSB) would export the Altay in the future.
Production of the Altay T1 Will Start Slowly
According to the current timeline for deliveries, Turkey will receive just three units this year; those tanks will likely be used for training, with an additional 11 scheduled for next year. Deliveries will ramp up to 41 units in 2027, with the remaining 30 being delivered in 2028.
After that point, production will shift to the Altay T2, of which at least 165 will be built. It will be produced with the domestically-made BATU powerplant, developed by BMC Power.
However, the changes we expect to see in the T2 and T3 models will be determined by the performance of the initial batch. Outside factors, including how armored vehicles continue to fare on the battlefield in Ukraine (should the war continue), as well as field testing against drones and other modern threats, may determine what modifications are needed.
The T2 could enter service sometime in the early 2030s. Current speculation suggests it will incorporate autonomous functionality that can reduce the workload on the crew and potentially reduce the crew size.
The Altay T1’s Specifications
The Altay T1 was named to honor General Fahrettin Altay, whose surname, meaning “red horse” or “colt,” was given to him by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish Republic. Altay served with distinction in the Gallipoli and Palestine campaigns during World War I and was a cavalry commander during the Turkish War of Independence.
- Year Introduced: Pending (anticipated late 2025)
- Number Built: 85 (completed or near-completion)
- Length: 7.3 m (24 ft 11 in)
- Total weight, battle-ready: 65 tons
- Suspensions: Non-active in-arm suspension unit (ISU) with automatic track tension system (ATTS)
- Engine: DV27K diesel engine (1,500 hp)
- Armament: 120-mm L/55 smoothbore cannon, 7.62-mm coaxial machine gun, remotely controlled 12.7-mm machine gun
- Top speed: 65 kph (40 mph) on roads, 45 kph (28 mph) off-road
- Range: 450-500 km (280-310 mi)
- Crew: 4
What Are the Capabilities of the Altay T1?
The 65-ton Altay T1 is a third-generation MBT based on South Korea’s famed K2 Black Panther, but with features specific to the Turk Kara Kuvvelleri (Turkish Land Forces). As with many Western MBTs, it is operated by a crew of four that includes a commander, driver, gunner, and loader. Its heavy weight and size are partially due to its enhanced survivability systems, which include advanced armor with CRBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) protection, a C3I (command, control, communications, and intelligence) system, and a fire-extinguishing and explosion suppression system. In addition to a laser warning system and battlefield target identification system, the Altay is further equipped with Aselsan’s Örümcek 360-degree situational awareness platform, which BMC Defense first unveiled in March 2023.
The Altay’s main armament is a Rheinmetall 120-mm L/55 smoothbore gun, while its secondary weapons include a 12.7-mm (.50 caliber) commander’s machine gun and a 7.62-mm coaxial machine gun. The tank could carry forty 120-mm rounds of various types for the main gun.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu has contributed over 3,200 published pieces to more than four dozen magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock / Sener Dagasan.
