The Altay super tank is probably the next weapon that Turkey will give to Ukraine after the Bayraktar TB2 UAV and the Kirpi mine-resistant armour.
To counter Russian forces, Ukraine has asked Turkey to send it new Altay tanks. The Otokar business created the third generation Altay main combat tank for the Turkish army and the export market. 2011 saw the debut of the initial Altay prototype thanks to the collaboration of the German Rheinmetall Group and the Korean Hyundai Corporation. According to several analysts, this tank resembles both the K2 Black Panther and the Leopard 2 tank in appearance.
The dimensions of the Altay tank are 7.7 metres long, 3.9 metres wide, and 2.6 metres high, with a combat weight of up to 65 tonnes. The engine of the Altay tank is a 1,500 horsepower multi-fuel MTU 883 engine produced in Germany, capable of a top speed of 70 km/h on good roads and a range of 500 km.
The vehicle is equipped with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon with 40 rounds of ammunition. It can fire all types of ammunition including fragmentation bullets, concave explosive bullets, sub-caliber kinetic energy-piercing bullets.
In addition, the Altay is also equipped with a 7.62 mm M240D coaxial machine gun with a high rate of fire with 12,000 rounds of ammunition. Along with a 12.7mm M2hb heavy machine gun mounted on the turret, combined with the Aselsan STAMP/II balance and fire control system, makes the fire even more powerful.
Altay’s Volkan-III fire control system, supported by thermal imaging and laser rangefinders, allows the vehicle to maintain accurate firing in both night and weather conditions.
The highlight of Altay’s strength is the integrated protective armor system developed by Roketsan company. The vehicle has seven pairs of wheels, a long body, heavy armor, a separate ammunition compartment designed to protect the crew along with prevention systems that prevent fire and explosion when the vehicle is hit by bullets or in an accident.
This type of armor has a 60% climbing ability; walking on the slope slope of 30%; overcome obstacles 1m high; 2.8m wide trench crossing; wade water to a depth of 1.2m without preparation or 4.1m when installing auxiliary diving equipment.
Altay crew of 4 people including the driver sitting in the front, the commander and the gunner in the middle, loading ammunition.
