Prototype of first Turkish tank to be unveiled, Minister says

Sunday, May 1, 2011
ANTALYA - Anatoila News Agency

The prototype of Altay, Turkey's first national tank, is ready, announced Minister of National Defense Vecdi Gönül on Saturday evening.

Speaking to reporters in the town of Manavgat in the southern province of Antalya, Gönül said a prototype of the soon to be developed tank would be on display at a fair in Istanbul on May 10, without mentioning how much the current designs would represent the final look or technical features of the fighting vehicle.

Still, Gönül said the first Turkish tank would be better-equipped compared with all the other tanks currently used by the Turkish military.

Under a $500 million contract, Turkey’s Otokar, an automobile company and major supplier of the Turkish Military Forces, and its partners have been tasked with delivering four prototypes for the next generation of tanks by 2015. In agreement with South Korea's Hyundai Rotem, Otokar is obtaining technology transfers from the company that produced South Korea's K1 and K2 main battle tanks.

The number of Altay tanks that will be produced will be determined according to needs, Gönül said.

Source: Hürriyet.
Link: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=outlook-of-first-turkish-tank-to-be-unveiled-minister-says-2011-05-01.