Order for mass production of 45,000 Turkish MPT-76 assault rifles.

The Turkish Company Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKEK) and other defense industry companies Kalekalıp and Sarsılmaz have received orders for mass production of the Turkish-made MPT-76 7.62mm caliber assault rifle, Turkish defense industry sources told state-run Anadolu Turkish press Agency.

Turkish-made MPT-76 7.62mm caliber assault rifle at Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris, France.

The Turkish Companies MKEK, Kalekalıp and Sarsılmaz will produce 20,000, 15,000 and 10,000 rifles respectively.

The Turkish Company MKEK has already delivered 3,200 MPT-76 assault rifles to the Turkish armed forces of which 500 have gone to the Turkish Presidency.

The MPT-76 aims to replace German G-3 rifles currently used by the Turkish Armed Forces and reduce dependence on foreign manufacturers.

The MPT-76 is a 7.62mm NATO modular assault rifle designed by Kalekalip and produced by the Turkish Defense Company MKEK to replace the Turkish army's Heckler & Koch G3 battle rifles. The MPT-76 was designed for robust high altitude, all weather combat, capable of functioning in extreme hot and cold weather. The development of the MPT-76 started in 2007 with a first delivery to the Turkish army in May 2014 for evaluation. Serial production began in 2015.

The design of the Turkish-made MPT-76 assault rifle is based on the AR-10 and the external layout seems very similar to the German HK417. It is a gas operated, select-fire weapon. It uses short stroke gas piston, located above the barrel, and AR-10/AR-15 style rotary bolt, bolt carrier and return spring system.

Some 450 of the Turkish-made assault rifle MPT-76 have already been delivered to Somalia, which is currently dealing with an insurgency from jihadist group al-Shabaab. In addition to Somalia, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has added the rifle to its inventory, ordering 2,500 rifles in total.