Tweet
ATTACK HELICOPTER BID POSTPONED ONCE AGAIN
By Cihan News Agency
Zaman, Turkey
Dec 13 2006
Turkey could not make a decision at the helicopter bid held on Tuesday
and postponed the announcement of the results to a later date upon
the General Staff's request to test the helicopters again.
The Defense Industry Executive Committee convened on Tuesday, chaired
by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The committee was to
decide on either Italian Westland's Mangusta or South African Denel's
Rooivalk proposal for the attack helicopter deal, which is worth at
least $2 billion.
Minister of National Defense Vecdi Gonul told reporters following
the meeting that the bid was postponed once more for further tests
required by the General Staff on the helicopters. The decision on
the type of the helicopter will be made in the following days.
The South African helicopters use French engines, which may be an
obstacle due to the discord on the so-called Armenian genocide between
Turkey and France.
The contract is for the purchase of 50 helicopters and then
co-production of 20 helicopters with an option for 21 more.
The committee also decided to buy 130 F-35s from the United States
which will cost Turkey about $2 billion, Gonul added.
The Undersecretariat of the Defense Industry was also authorized
for the purchase of another 30 F-16 fighters for approximately $1.6
billion.
By Cihan News Agency
Zaman, Turkey
Dec 13 2006
Turkey could not make a decision at the helicopter bid held on Tuesday
and postponed the announcement of the results to a later date upon
the General Staff's request to test the helicopters again.
The Defense Industry Executive Committee convened on Tuesday, chaired
by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The committee was to
decide on either Italian Westland's Mangusta or South African Denel's
Rooivalk proposal for the attack helicopter deal, which is worth at
least $2 billion.
Minister of National Defense Vecdi Gonul told reporters following
the meeting that the bid was postponed once more for further tests
required by the General Staff on the helicopters. The decision on
the type of the helicopter will be made in the following days.
The South African helicopters use French engines, which may be an
obstacle due to the discord on the so-called Armenian genocide between
Turkey and France.
The contract is for the purchase of 50 helicopters and then
co-production of 20 helicopters with an option for 21 more.
The committee also decided to buy 130 F-35s from the United States
which will cost Turkey about $2 billion, Gonul added.
The Undersecretariat of the Defense Industry was also authorized
for the purchase of another 30 F-16 fighters for approximately $1.6
billion.