Turkey: Altay T3 version MBT Main Battle Tank will be fitted with unmanned turret.

According to the website of the Turkish Newspaper Gazete Vatan, the Turkish-made Main Battle Tank (MBT) Altay will be delivered in three configurations designated T1, T2 and T3. The latest variant scheduled for qualification in 2024, the T3 will be fitted with an unmanned turret and an automatic loading system.

Urban Operation Variant of the Turkish-made Altay main battle tank was showed by the Turkish Company Otokar at IDEF defense exhibition in May 2017. (Picture source Army Recognition)

The production contract of the Altay Main Battle tank (MBT) was officially announced in November 2018 by the Turkish Company BMC, selected by the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) as the winner to manufacture a total of 250 Altay MBTs.

The standard Main Battle Tank Altay will have a crew of four including driver, commander, gunner and loader. The main armament of ALTAY consists of one 120 mm 55 caliber smoothbore gun suitable for various kinds of rounds.

According a picture released by the Turkish Newspaper Gazete Vatan website, the Altay will be produced in three configurations with the same armament. A first batch of 40 units designated T1 will be equipped with APS (Active Protection System) and Add-on-armor produced by the Turkish Company Roketsan, the second batch of 210 units will be the T2 version, that will include many improvements, as a new armor, isolated munitions configuration, Laser guided firing capability, Crew training mode and mobile net camouflage.

The T3 version of the Altay will be built with an unmanned turret and a new automatic loading system, maybe to challenge the Russian-made main battle tank T-14 Armata.

Other specific versions of the Altay MBT will be delivered to the Turkish armed forces as an ARV (Armored Recovery Vehicle) and mine clearance vehicle based on the T1 variant.

The first prototype of the Altay MBT was developed and tested by the Turkish Company Otokar, and an "Urban Operation Variant" was unveiled in May 2017 during the defense exhibition IDEF in Istanbul.

The three variants of the Altay MBT were presented during a conference of the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) (Picture source Gazete Vatan website)