Kazakhstan to Purchase 834 Otokar ARMA at a Cost of 4.4 Billion Dollars
Kazakhstan to Purchase 834 Turkish Otokar ARMA Armored Combat Vehicles Worth $4.4 Billion
Kazakhstan is reportedly planning to acquire 834 Otokar ARMA Armored Combat Vehicles, making it potentially the largest single item export of the Turkish defense industry. The vehicles, valued at $4.4 billion, have undergone extensive testing by the Kazakhstan Army.
The Kazakh media outlet Orda stated that the procurement of the 834 ARMA Armored Combat Vehicles is part of Kazakhstan’s military land platform plans. These vehicles have been tested for a year under various conditions, with different configurations such as the ARMA 8×8 with NEFER Tower developed by ASELSAN, as well as versions with integrated Russian-made 2K23 Towers.
The use of the 2K23 Tower has also been observed in the RABDAN vehicles, which are in service with the United Arab Emirates Army. Kazakhstan is expected to integrate both the TULPAR and ARMA 8×8 vehicles into its army inventory soon.
Deputy Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan, Sultan Kamaletdinov, acknowledged the use of Turkish armored vehicles by several countries, including Kazakhstan, in armed conflicts. While not explicitly mentioned, it is believed that ARMA is the vehicle Kamaletdinov referred to in his statement.
Otokar has previously exported COBRA Armored Vehicles to Kazakhstan, which are currently in active use by the Kazakh Army. With the potential acquisition of the ARMA vehicles, the cooperation between Kazakhstan and Turkey in the defense industry is expected to further strengthen.
The Otokar ARMA Armored Combat Vehicles are highly versatile and technologically advanced, offering significant capabilities for land-based military operations. The procurement of these vehicles by Kazakhstan marks a significant milestone in their defense capabilities and demonstrates their commitment to modernizing their armed forces.
Sources: DefenseIndustryST.com
