Kazakhstan Buys 834 ARMA Armored Vehicles from Turkey

Turkey’s Otokar has won $4.4 billion to supply Kazakh military with 834 ARMA armored combat vehicles.

Kazakhstan’s Orda.kz reported this information. It has not been confirmed by Kazakh defense ministry or the Turkish firm.

Otokar-produced ARMA and TULPA vehicles were tested for about a year under various conditions by Kazakhstan. The tested ARMA configuration is ARMA 8×8 with NEFER Tower developed by ASELSAN. Kazakh army also evaluated TULPAR and ARMA vehicles integrated with Russian-made 2K23 Tower.

The 2K23 Tower was also preferred for the RABDAN vehicles derived from ARMA and used by the United Arab Emirates.

ARMA pipped Kazakh-made Barys to win the deal. The latter is reportedly 40% cheaper than ARMA.

“Whatever decisions are made, the state will lose money. We also heard about 800 pieces… The difference in price between the Turkish analogue of ARMA, which they want to buy, and the eight-wheeled Barys is at least 40%,” Aibek Barysov, head of Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering LLP, was quoted as saying by Orda.kz.