By Goksel Yildirim
TALLINN, Estonia (AA) - Otokar, a Turkish defense industry armored land vehicle manufacturer, has achieved export success in Estonia with the ARMA 6x6 armored personnel carrier, leaving its European competitors behind.
Otokar on Wednesday signed a contract in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, for 4X4 and 6X6 vehicles with the Estonian Center for Defense Investments (ECDI).
The agreement is worth around €130 million ($137 million).
Under the contract, which includes maintenance, equipment, and training services along with the vehicles, deliveries are planned between 2024 and 2025.
Sedef Vehbi, deputy CEO of Otokar Military Vehicles, told Anadolu that with the contract in Estonia, they increased their market diversity.
Saying that with the ARMA 6X6, they have become the supplier of an important European country, Vehbi said that they have been working on the project since 2020.
Vehbi said: "The country had a professional approach. There was a fair competition environment. We came to the forefront with both our technical features and commercial conditions, and most importantly, we were ahead of our European competitors."
Stressing that one of the biggest reasons for the success they have achieved with the ARMA 6X6 is its success in the field, Vehbi said that the ARMA 6X6 has already been chosen by five militaries to add to their inventories.
The ARMA 6x6 offers superior mobility, high mine and ballistic protection, as well as the integration of medium and high caliber weapon systems, according to Otokar.
*Writing by Gokhan Ergocun from DUBAI, UAE