BATU tank engine for Altay MBTs and UTKU engine for Fırtına 155 mm SPGs alongside transmissions were sent to the production line in Arifiye.
BMC Power's Corporate Development and Communication Group Leader Banu Koçyiğit has announced the departure of the two engines to power the Turkish Armed Forces' critical armoured platforms.
BATU BMC Power's diesel engine has a power rating of 1500 hp to power the Altay MBT. The engine and transmission will replace the interim solution from ROK as the testing and production progresses. Altay's original initial production engine was to be provided by the German MTU. Following the country's arms embargo, Turkiye was pushed to an alternative before the indigenous engine from BMC Power would be finished.
UTKU, with a power rating of 1000 hp, has been developed to power Fırtına SPGs and heavy armoured fighting vehicles.
Fırtına SPGs are in service as critical fire support assets, while Altay MBT will become the backbone of the Turkiye's tank fleet with modern systems. During the delay period in the programme, because of the problems with the acquirement of engines, Altay's first production variant, T1, was updated with an AKKOR active protection system, camouflage net, and revamped electronics. Some of these features were reserved for the next production variant, T2, such as AKKOR. Altay's future variant T3 will feature an unmanned turret, armoured capsule for crew, larger calibre main gun, extra RCWS, and UAV/UGV deployment capability.
The Republic of Korea's (ROK) Defence Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has announced the launch of the first locally built 1,000-hp diesel engine for the Hanwha K9 155 mm/52 calibre tracked self-propelled howitzer under licence from STX Engine. The power group consists of the MTU engine and an Allison Transmission X1100-5A3 automatic transmission system.
