The Altay tanks underwent a testing programme covering 35,000 kilometres and 3,700 live-fire exercises before being handed over to the military. President Erdogan said the upgraded tanks are “designed to withstand the toughest battlefield conditions.”
“We advance with firm steps towards the goal of a fully independent Türkiye in defense industry” https://t.co/2DwNMaN24U pic.twitter.com/p2nfA2FXyc
— Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye (@trpresidency) October 28, 2025
He also revealed that the 63,000-square-metre production line will manufacture eight Altay tanks and ten Altug armoured vehicles per month. Describing the Altug vehicles as “fortresses of the battlefield,” Erdogan added: “We continue to write a legend with our state-of-the-art air, land, and sea vehicles.”
Türkiye aims to maintain independence in Altay production, particularly for essential components, despite previous foreign embargoes. “We are no longer just a state that follows; we are a state that is followed,” Erdogan stated.
Foreign defence dependency has now fallen below 20%, according to the president, with nearly all the military’s requirements now met by locally produced systems. Erdogan said: “We plan to deliver the Leopard 2A4 modernization project next year alongside the Altay.”
The event was also attended by Qatari Defence Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, who voiced support for the bilateral defence partnership. “Today we witness a strong collaboration between Türkiye and Qatar. We are proud that this partnership has put the Altay tank, produced domestically by BMC in Türkiye, into service,” Sheikh Saoud said.
President Erdogan expressed thanks to BMC, the Presidency of Defence Industries, all workers involved in the project, and Qatar for their cooperation. He underlined that Türkiye now manages more than 1,400 defence projects and is among the top three global producers of unmanned aerial vehicles.
