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Turkish Army receives first 500 MPT-76 rifles
Kerry Herschelman, Washington, DC and Nicholas de Larrinaga, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
12 January 2017
The Turkish Army has taken delivery of its first serial produced MPT-76 7.62 mm battle rifles. Source: IHS/Nick de Larrinaga
Turkey's state-owned Machines and Chemical Industries Board (MKEK) delivered on 11 January the first 500 serially-produced MPT-76 battle rifles to the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC).
The rifles delivered on 11 January are the first batch from a 2015 deal which will see the production of around 35,000 MPT-76s for the TLFC, Naval Forces Command, and the Gendarmerie General Command. 20,000 of these are being manufactured by MKEK, with the remaining 15,000 being produced by privately owned KaleKalip, which co-designed the weapon.
Speaking during a ceremony held for the event, Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik said the locally developed rifles will be used in all conditions. Noting that Turkey's dependency on foreign defence technologies has now fallen from 80% 15 years ago to 40% today, Isik added, "Our aim is to decrease that ratio [to] below 20%."
Land Forces Commander General Salih Zeki Colak said during the ceremony that the rifles will be a force multiplier for the army.
The MPT-76 was designed to meet the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) requirement for a new infantry rifle chambered in the NATO 7.62x51 mm cartridge. The MPT-76 rifle will replace about 200,000 G3 rifles made in Turkey under licence from Heckler & Koch. The TSK has a potential requirement for as many as 500,000 MPT-76s, principally for the Turkish Army but also to equip personnel across its other service arms.
MKEK will complete delivery of the remaining 19,500 MPT-76s from the country's first serial order for the rifle by the end of 2017, Isik said on 30 December 2016.
http://www.janes.com/article/66890/turkish-army-receives-first-500-mpt-76-rifles
Kerry Herschelman, Washington, DC and Nicholas de Larrinaga, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
12 January 2017
The Turkish Army has taken delivery of its first serial produced MPT-76 7.62 mm battle rifles. Source: IHS/Nick de Larrinaga
Turkey's state-owned Machines and Chemical Industries Board (MKEK) delivered on 11 January the first 500 serially-produced MPT-76 battle rifles to the Turkish Land Forces Command (TLFC).
The rifles delivered on 11 January are the first batch from a 2015 deal which will see the production of around 35,000 MPT-76s for the TLFC, Naval Forces Command, and the Gendarmerie General Command. 20,000 of these are being manufactured by MKEK, with the remaining 15,000 being produced by privately owned KaleKalip, which co-designed the weapon.
Speaking during a ceremony held for the event, Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik said the locally developed rifles will be used in all conditions. Noting that Turkey's dependency on foreign defence technologies has now fallen from 80% 15 years ago to 40% today, Isik added, "Our aim is to decrease that ratio [to] below 20%."
Land Forces Commander General Salih Zeki Colak said during the ceremony that the rifles will be a force multiplier for the army.
The MPT-76 was designed to meet the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) requirement for a new infantry rifle chambered in the NATO 7.62x51 mm cartridge. The MPT-76 rifle will replace about 200,000 G3 rifles made in Turkey under licence from Heckler & Koch. The TSK has a potential requirement for as many as 500,000 MPT-76s, principally for the Turkish Army but also to equip personnel across its other service arms.
MKEK will complete delivery of the remaining 19,500 MPT-76s from the country's first serial order for the rifle by the end of 2017, Isik said on 30 December 2016.
http://www.janes.com/article/66890/turkish-army-receives-first-500-mpt-76-rifles
