Turkey Invites Local Firms to Bid for Altay Battle Tank’s Engine

Turkey’s Defense Industry Undersecretary (SSM) has invited five local companies to bid on a project to develop engine for its Altay battle tank.

The companies include the public engine maker Tümosan as well as BMC Otomotiv, Figes Fizik, Istanbul Denizcilik and Tusas Motor. In a statement on its website Friday, the SSM said the companies were called to submit their bids for the Altay tank’s “Power Group Development Project.”

Defense Minister Nurettin Canikli said Wednesday that Turkey has received bids to mass produce 500 Altay tanks, of which 250 were optional, and added that the tender would be finalized in the coming days.

The Altay tank project, led by the Turkish commercial and military vehicle producer Otokar, is worth an estimated 7 billion euros ($8.30 billion).

In addition to meeting requirements of the Turkish army, Ankara has commenced making presentations about the Altay Tank to potential international customers including Pakistan, Indonesia and Qatar.