Kazakh Defense Ministry Denies Buying Turkish Combat Vehicles

Kazakhstan’s defense ministry has rejected claims by local media that it is buying 838 ARMA armored combat vehicles from Turkey’s Otokar.

Earlier, Kazakh news outlet Orda.kz had reported that the ministry has selected Otokar vehicles for the $4.4 billion project.

“The information circulating on social networks that an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Turkish company ‘Otokar’ for the purchase of armored vehicles worth approximately 2 trillion tenge ($4.4 billion) does not correspond to reality,” the country’s defense ministry said in a statement to SavunmaSanayiST.com.

ARMA pipped Kazakh-made Barys armored combat vehicles to win the deal. The latter is reportedly 40% cheaper than ARMA, the report had claimed.

“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.

Otokar-produced ARMA and TULPA vehicles are being tested since 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 ministry said it is currently evaluating several foreign-made vehicles, including the ARMA.
“…the results of which (tests) will be used to determine a suitable sample of equipment according to technical requirements.”