Turkey’s company plans to start indigenous tank engine development by 2016

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s tractor manufacturer, TÜMOSAN, has said it will focus on defense technologies and rail systems in addition to its main business activities, during a press meeting on Oct. 22. 

The company will start the development of an indigenous tank engine by 2016 and plans to start production by 2020. 

The company signed a 190 million-euro contract with the government to design an engine for the Altay, a new-generation tank the country is developing.

TÜMOSAN’s Power Group Development program signed the contract on March 17 with the country’s procurement office, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM). Last August, Turkey’s top procurement panel, the Defense Industry Executive Committee, tasked SSM with opening contract negotiations with TÜMOSAN.

After a five-year preparation process, the company has been ready to start development works, said TÜMOSAN CEO Kurtuluş Öğün in a follow-up press release. 

The company will receive technical support from Austria’s AVL. 

“In line with the conditions set by SSM, we expect to see the release of some 25 percent of the contracted 190 million euros and to start development works by 2016 after a technical support deal with AVL. We plan to start production by 2020,” he said. 

Other elements of the Altay have been developed by Koç Holding’s Otokar, with defense company Aselsan developing the tank’s armor.

Turkey’s long talks with Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for the joint development and production of an engine for the Altay failed in 2014. 

TÜMOSAN also signed a memorandum of understanding with Spain’s high-speed train manufacturer Talgo in January this year to gain know-how in the field in a bid to develop high-speed rail projects in Turkey.