Altai - perspective Turkish main battle tank. At the beginning of the 90 Turkish government has decided to equip its army with a new generation of tanks. A tender was announced for purchase of a new main tank. It was attended by tank builders from Germany, US and Ukraine, It has conducted a number of comparative tests of combat vehicles in Turkey.
Altay tank – video
Russian machine did not participate, since one of the requirements of the Turkish side was to provide prior to testing a complete set of design documents for participating in the tender tank. The reason for this alleged plans to purchase licenses for the production of one of the foreign tanks. Russian leadership to take this step and did not go to participate in the tender refused, as it later turned out, it was right. None of the participants in the tender Turkey tanks are not bought and did not make a license. But documentation remained in Turkish designers.
Tank Altay first complete PV1
Almost ten years later, (!), at 2004 city, Turkish military announced, they came to the conclusion: the development of their own country, the tank will cost much cheaper, than the licensed production. AT 2005 g. a tender for the creation of a new, Turkish, tanka, and 2007 g. Turkish company Otokar - the winner was announced.
In March of the same year, the Secretariat of Defense Industry of Turkey (SSM) Otokar Company signed a contract for the 400 $ millions. US to develop the project's first national Turkish "Altai" main tank. Signing ceremony took place in the presence of the Prime Minister Erdogan, President of Kos Holding Defence Industry and Other Automotive Group Kudret Onena, Turkish representatives of subcontracting companies in key areas: Aselsan, MKEK, Roketsan, and also ... the Minister of National Defense of the Republic of Korea. This country in the face of Hyundai-Rotem company provides technical support for the project.
Tank Altay second complete PV2
According to the plan leadership, Otokar company had to carry all the research and development work, as well as responsible for manufacturing, prototype testing, for further mass production and maintenance. This company has more than 45 years has been producing cars, including for the army. Over the past 25 years Otokar also quite successful in the field of light armored vehicles, enough to remember the armored Cobra. The machine is like two drops of water similar to the French Renault VBL, but produced in Turkey.
Implementation support the Turkish project of the Korean company Hyundai-Rotem explained the, that the core basis for the creation of the "Altai" has become South Korea's new generation of tank Black Panther. Agreement on joint development with South Korea's Hyundai Rotem company Otokar concluded, It was later allegedly reported on the results of the tender, which also involved the German KMW - developer and manufacturer of tanks Leopard. The contract provides for the complete transfer of technology in the K-2 Black Panther.
This begs the question, why the Turkish government has begun work on creating your own tank after more 10 years after the decision on rearmament? Maybe Korean designers have created their own "the Black Panther" with all technical documentation, Turkey received during the tender, after which was not purchased by any of the participating in it tanks? can say, Turks gave the documentation to Korea, for testing, taking into account the follow-up care in the "national" project. What it was actually, we, likely, We never know, but a complete set of technical documentation request for tender was conducted with an ulterior motive.
Whatever it was, Otokar company management emphasizes, that the main tank "Altay" is exclusively Turkish project. a large number of new systems have been developed for it, components and assemblies, as well as the new design, "third-generation tank". The project will ease the country's dependence on foreign supplies of military equipment, as well as ensure the development of new technologies.
The name "Altai" (Altay) tank was in honor of General Fahrettin Altay, V commanded cavalry corps, parts of which are in the Turkish Independence War 1919-1923 gg. We liberated the city of Izmir by the Greek forces (the third most populous city in Turkey and the second largest port of the country).
In the first phase of the project was planned for seven years to build and test prototypes of four. After completion of testing and fine-tuning of the machine is expected to receive orders for series production of the first installment in the amount of 250 meals. In the future, their number will increase to thousands, replacing their outdated American and German cars.
In September 2010 g. phase was completed conceptual design "Altai", although the 3D model of the machine was presented to the public in August. At the International Exhibition IDEF-2011 g. Istanbul in May 2011 g. Otokar company was represented by a full-size layout. After finishing work on the design of the new machine concept, Turkish constructors started the detailed design stage, which the, as originally planned, take at least 30 months. However, to the credit of Turkish engineers, they failed in their task much earlier.
5 November 2012 g. at a military base "Adapazari" (province Sakaryya) Turkish company Otokar held a presentation ceremony of the first two prototypes of the "Altai" main tank. The ceremony was attended The Prime Minister Erdogan and the country's Defense Minister Yilmaz. One of, presented prototypes, were designated MTR, designed for sea trials, second, designation FTR - test performance fire machine power.
Since the tank "Altay" is created on the basis of the Korean K-2 Black Panther, he inherited all the technical innovations of its Korean "daddy" with the exception of the automatic loader. Solutions, used in South Korean K-2, Turkish tank "Altay" account for about 60 percent. Apparently, Turkish car inherit from the Korean tank and the high cost of. According to preliminary estimates on 2012 g. price "Altai" in the series was at least 5,5 million USD.
The layout of the tank Altay
The layout of the tank "Altay" classic, with the location of branch motornotransmissionnogo (MTO) in the rear of the machine, driver's compartment in the bow and the crew compartment - at the center. The crew - four people: commander, driver mechanic, gunner and loader.
Place the driver is located in the department of management centered on the longitudinal axis of the machine, which greatly facilitates the management. For embarkation and disembarkation used hatch, Armored closing lid, which when opened shifts to the right. The manhole cover of the driver are three prism observation device.
Place the loader located in the fighting compartment in the tower, left of the gun. Above it there is a hatch for the embarkation and disembarkation, as well as for loading ammunition. Reinforced hatch opens backwards.
Workplace commander located in the fighting compartment, deal of rifles. Workplace gunner is also the right of the gun, only slightly ahead of and below the commander of the tank, as it is on the T-55, Leopard 1 and 2. The commander and gunner carried embark and disembark through a hatch in turn. Reinforced hatch opens backwards.
reportedly, developers on the "Altai" is set more powerful, compared to Korean tank K-2 Black Panther protection of the hull and turret. The tower was designed by Turkish engineers and differs from the tower of the Korean tank, because of the weapon system does not include automatic loader and three crew members are placed in it, instead of two, as in "Black Panther".
Housing "Altai" longer, and a chassis used for seven rollers aboard, that is one more, than K-2. housing board is less than half covered protivokumulyativnymi screen, leaving undisguised, including road wheels, a considerable projection board. At the stern is an extensive body armor grille for engine cooling air outlet. it, reduces thermal background tank.
In the presented two prototypes suspension chassis - hydropneumatic. However, reportedly, final decision, relating to the suspension system and a number of other systems, still has not accepted. All will depend on, how these systems behave during the test. welded turret with a strong lure into the aft, wherein the stored portion of the ammunition to the gun, and the elements are placed an air conditioning system and auxiliary power unit. Outside the tower equipped with drawers for storage of spare parts and personal belongings of the crew, as was done in the French tanks, "Leclerc".
Armament Altai
High rates are provided by using as the main arms 120 mm smoothbore gun German Rheinmetall Rh 120L / 55 with a barrel 55 calibres. The gun is equipped with a trunk bending control system, Thermal protective casing and an ejection system degassing. Ammunition is placed in the feed Zaman Tower, equipped expelling panels on the roof. The composition of ammunition, apparently, It will be standard - feathered armor-piercing discarding sabot projectiles, kumulyativnooskolochnye and, perhaps, shrapnel shrapnel. All in the tank will be transported 57 shots, indicating that, that most of the ammunition with flammable burns sleeves unitary 120-mm rounds will be placed together with the crew in the machine housing.
The development of local production tank gun MKEK 120 and ammunition for it deals with the state-owned Makine ve Kimya Endustrisi Kurumu (MKE), which is a major developer and manufacturer of weapons and ammunition in Turkey. As additional arms mounted 7.62mm coaxial machine gun with a gun (set to the left of the gun in the workplace charging) and 12.7-mm machine gun, which will be located on a remote-controlled unit on the roof of the tower behind the hatches commander and loader on the longitudinal axis of the tower. Its management is performed remotely from the tank commander.
In the tank "Altay" using modern modular automated fire control system (SUO) Volkan-lll или National Cannon, originally developed for the TAKS naval platforms.
Gunner and tank commander has a combined (day-night) sighting and observation complex (PNA) stabilized in two planes, a line of sight. Both complexes in the structure have optical, thermal imaging and laser rangefinder channels. Commanding panoramic PNA, He has the ability to, regardless of the position of the tower, observations on 360 degrees. Thereby, introduces the concept of «hunter - killer» (Hunter - Killer). All systems and subsystems MSA are currently being developed by Aselsan, which has a partnership with the Turkish company STM, software development for automated command and control systems.
The main elements of the main tank "Altay" weapon system developed and manufactured by the Korean company Hyundai Rotem, and Turkish Organization Mechanical and chemical industries (MKE) и Roketsan.
The performance characteristics of Altay tank
Crew, pers.: 4
developer: Otokar Turkey (lead developer)
Republic of Korea Hyundai Rotem (technical support)
Manufacturer: Турция Undersecretariat for Defense Industries
years of development: 2007 — 2017
years of production: from 2020 (plan)
The number of issued, PC.: 4 prototype
Weight Altay tank
– 60 tonnes
The dimensions of the tank Altay
– body Length, mm: 7735
– Length with gun forward, mm: 10 307
– housing width, mm: 3972
– Height, mm: 2640
Armor tank Altay
– Type broni: combined protivosnaryadnym
weaponry
– Caliber guns and stamp: 120-mm MKEK120
– gun type: smoothbore
– barrel length, calibres: 55
– gun ammunition: 57
– Shotgun: 1 × 7,62-mm; 1 × 12,7-mm
Altay tank engine
– engine's type: diesel
– Engine power, l. from.: 1500
speed of the tank Altay
– Road speed, kmh: 70
– Cruising on the highway, km: 500
– to overcome the wall, m: 1,0
– trench, m: 2,8
– fording, m: 1,2 (4,1 with OPVT)
Photo tank Altay
