Kazakhstan has announced its future roadmap for the joint production program carried out with Turkish defence company Otokar. According to the plan shared by the Senate of the Parliament of Kazakhstan, armored vehicle projects to be produced at the BESQARU facility and the targets for 2026 have started to take shape. This development shows that Türkiye’s success in land systems exports is no longer limited to direct product sales but is evolving into a more permanent structure through local production and technology cooperation in Central Asia.

According to the roadmap, one of the vehicles planned to enter the production line by the end of 2025 is the TAIMAS 8x8 amphibious armored combat vehicle, a localized version of Otokar’s ARMA 8x8 platform. Equipped with a Chinese-origin VN20 turret, TAIMAS 8x8 stands out as one of the platforms expected to strengthen Kazakhstan’s armored combat vehicle capabilities. In addition, the TAIMAS 6x6 infantry fighting vehicle, shown for the first time with a MIZRAK turret, was also among the notable systems included in the joint production program.

The roadmap also states that the AIBAR 4x4 tactical wheeled vehicle, a localized derivative of the COBRA II 4x4 platform, will be produced in six different configurations. This indicates that Kazakhstan is not pursuing a single armored vehicle type but rather aims to create a versatile land platform family capable of meeting different mission requirements. The inclusion of the URAL 4x4 tactical wheeled vehicle in the program also shows that the BESQARU facility is being positioned for the production of different classes of land vehicles.

One of the most notable systems in the 2026 plan is the TULPAR tracked infantry fighting vehicle. In the shared visuals, TULPAR appeared in a light tank configuration equipped with Leonardo’s HITFACT MKII 120 mm turret. However, it is not yet clear whether this configuration represents the final production standard. The infantry fighting vehicle version of TULPAR had previously been tested in Kazakhstan, so the platform may be evaluated in different mission configurations under the 2026 plan.

TULPAR stands out as a platform capable of responding to the changing needs of modern land warfare thanks to its modular structure, high mobility and adaptable architecture for different weapon systems. For Kazakhstan, the inclusion of TULPAR in the local production roadmap carries strategic importance in strengthening tracked armored vehicle capability and introducing platforms capable of heavier mission profiles. This step could also further strengthen Otokar’s presence in the Central Asian market.

Another important system included in the roadmap is ALPAR, Otokar’s heavy-class unmanned ground vehicle. Developed from the outset as a heavy unmanned ground platform, ALPAR draws attention with its hybrid power system. The platform is designed to provide fire support to infantry and armored units, reduce personnel risk in dangerous areas and support the manned-unmanned teaming concept on the modern battlefield.

ALPAR is currently integrated with the MIZRAK-30 turret, which carries a 30x173 mm chain-driven cannon and two OMTAS anti-tank missiles. Work also continues on different payload options for the platform. The fact that ALPAR is being evaluated among the platforms that could be produced at the BESQARU facility shows that Kazakhstan also aims to build local capacity in unmanned ground systems. In this respect, the project offers a more advanced defence industry cooperation model beyond conventional armored vehicle production.

Otokar’s Central Asia production structure in Kazakhstan is considered an important pillar of the company’s global growth strategy based on local production and joint industrial models. The company’s establishment of a new Europe-centered industrial network in Romania also shows that Turkish land systems are being positioned more strongly in different regions through local production, integration and technology transfer. The Kazakhstan roadmap is one of the concrete reflections of this approach in Central Asia.

Kazakhstan’s joint production plan with Otokar once again demonstrates the international recognition of the Turkish defence industry’s competence in land platforms. The inclusion of TAIMAS, AIBAR, TULPAR and ALPAR in the same roadmap shows that Kazakhstan aims to gradually strengthen its armored and unmanned ground vehicle capabilities. This process points to a deepening of Türkiye-Kazakhstan defence industry cooperation not only in procurement but also in production and technology partnership.