Pakistan and Ukraine signed a memorandum-of-understanding (MoU) to co-produce diesel engine and engine components for Pakistan’s main battle tank al-Khalid (MBT) programs.

Pakistan’s Minister of Defence Production (MoDP) Rana Tanveer Hussain and the General Director of the Ukrainian Defence Industry branch in Ukroboronprom Roman Romanov signed the MoU.

Upon signing the MoU, Mr. Hussain reportedly stated that Pakistan “will import technology to produce engine and parts.

Pakistan’s Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) had signed an agreement with Ukraine to upgrade 200 Al Khalid II tanks with new engines at International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2016.

Developed by Pakistan and China in the 1990s, the al-Khalid carries a three-man crew, and is armed with a 125 mm cannon.

It is claimed in Turkey that Turkey may also cooperate with Ukraine for 6TD engines on Altay MBT programme. TÜMOSAN, Konya based Turkish engine manufacturing company, the company cancelled its agreement with Turkish Undersecreteriat for Defence Industries (SSM) on Friday. TÜMOSAN had started an engine development programme for Altay. Altay currently runs on MTU engines.