http://mil.news.sina.com.cn/2008-08-28/0736518588.html
土耳其推出首款國產ALTAY主戰坦克
http://www.sina.com.cn 2008年08月28日 07:36 中國國防科技資訊網
據法國《防務宇航》2008年8月26日報導 土耳其國防工業局(SSM)負責管理土耳其第一種國產主戰坦克(ALTAY坦克)項目,Otokar公司成為該項目的主承包商。該公司準備設計完全滿足土耳其裝甲部隊需求的新一代主戰坦克,主要負責ALTAY坦克的設計、開發、集成、樣車生產、測試和鑒定。
ALTAY坦克項目將為土耳其裝甲部隊提供第三代主戰坦克,還將為土耳其地面平臺開發和國防工業生產帶來巨大發展。土耳其需要穩定的政府、持續發展的經濟和強大的裝甲部隊。考慮到主要威脅和當前戰場環境,很顯然,土耳其必須獲得採用高技術和能夠應付潛在威脅的現代裝備、工具和設備,以便擁有強大的現代裝甲部隊。
土耳其對現代主戰坦克項目的研究最早開始於1996年,旨在依據生產許可生產一種國外現有主戰坦克。但是由於成本問題,該專案在2004年終止。2005年,土耳其開始啟動國產主戰坦克專案,Otokar公司在2007年被選為該專案的主承包商。該項目在前7年中將進行樣車生產和功能測試。在樣車完成之後,土耳其將開始首批250輛坦克的批量生產。(北方科技資訊研究所 王桂芝)
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/client/modele.pl?prod=97347&session=dae.41023309.1219892182.SDWxsn8AAAEAAGBswjsAAAAS&modele=release
Otokar Contracted to Design 1st National Main Battle Tank of Turkey
(Source: Otokar; dated Aug. 21, issued Aug. 25, 2008)
Koc Group company Otokar is contracted as prime contractor for ALTAY Project, conducted by SSM (Turkish Undersecretariat for the Defense Industries—Ed.). The company shall be the exclusively responsible party to SSM regarding the design, development, integration, prototype production, testing, qualification of the first Turkish National Main Battle Tank (ALTAY Tank) and all activities contained in the Project.
The signing ceremony was held with the attendance of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the Turkish Prime Minister, M. Vecdi Gonul, the Turkish Minister of National Defence, Mustafa Koc, chairman of the Koc Holding, Kudret Onen, President of Koc Holding Defence Industry and Other Automotive Group and Chairman of Otokar, and Serdar Gorguc, General Manager of Otokar.
Sanghee Lee, the Minister of National Defence, representing the Republic of Korea, the country to provide technical support and assistance for the Project and the upper management representatives of Aselsan, Hyundai-Rotem, Makine ve Kimya Endustrisi Kurumu and Roketsan were also present at the ceremony.
Mr Kudret Onen, President of Koc Holding Defence Industry and Other Automotive Group and Chairman of Otokar, stated that backed with its engineering power, R&D facilities, experiences and technical facilities, Otokar is ready to design new generation tank which will fully meet the requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces, and said:
"We pride ourselves on being charged for such a large-scale national project of strategic importance. As it was always the case, we will work hard to deserve this confidence in our Company, in order to attain the result befitting our country. For 45 years, we have introduced many firsts to the automotive industry. We have designed the first military armoured vehicle and we realised export of armoured vehicles for the first time. Since 21 years we are operating in the defence industry.
“25 thousand military vehicles we produced are being used by Armed Forces of more than 15 countries, primarily by the Turkish Armed Forces, and UN duty units in several regions of the world. With ALTAY Project, we will break new ground."
Mr Mustafa V. Koc, Chairman of Koc Holding, stated that he is pleased that an affiliate of the Koc Holding is preferred for the completion of ALTAY Project, which is of utmost importance for Turkey's national defence industry strategy, and said:
"It is certain that this Project will bring enormous acceleration to the land platform development and production field of the defence industry. In order to become leader in its region, Turkey requires stable government, growing economy and strong armed forces. Considering the prevailing threats and contemporary battle area conditions, it becomes evident that modern equipment, tools and devices which of hi-tech products and capable to dispose of potential threats must be available further to manpower in order to have contemporary and strong armed forces.
We have to develop its own resources and capabilities and to develop our own technology also in this field. Only in this way we can cope with the modern era and attain sustainable growth in the national industry."
Murad Bayar, Undersecretary of SSM, talking at the ceremony, said that it's very important that the ALTAY Project reached to the contract signing phase. He also added that this Project will supply Turkish Armed Forces, the third generation modern main battle tank.
He said further: "The studies on the modern tank project firstly started on 1996 and was targeted on a production under licence of an existing tank in the world. But this project stopped on 2004 because of the high costs. In 2005, we started working on Turkish National Main Battle Tank Project and in 2007 Otokar had been chosen as the prime contractor of the Project. And the project is called ALTAY.
“The first 7 years of the Project will enclose the prototype production and testing functions. After the prototype tanks completed the serial production will start for the first 250 tanks."