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ANKARA: ATAK Helicopters To Wait, Turkey To Get F-35s From US

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  • ANKARA: ATAK Helicopters To Wait, Turkey To Get F-35s From US

    ATAK HELICOPTERS TO WAIT, TURKEY TO GET F-35S FROM US

    New Anatolian, Turkey
    Dec 14 2006

    Tuesday's Defense Industry Executive Committee delayed the final
    decision on a helicopter tender attended by a South African and an
    Italian firm, reinforcing the speculation that the tender may be
    canceled and the helicopters may be directly purchased from the U.S.

    The committee, which is made up of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
    Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit and Defense Minister Vecdi
    Gonul, decided to buy 100 F-35 stealth fighter jets while authorizing
    the defense industry undersecretary to hold talks for the purchase
    of 30 new F-16 warplanes.

    The F-35 Lightning II, also called the joint strike fighter, will be
    assembled at Lockheed Martin's plant in Fort Worth, Texas.

    However the committee, at request of the General Staff, decided
    to delay a final decision for the controversial Tactical and
    Reconnaissance Attack Helicopter Project (ATAK).

    The General Staff asked for further tests on the helicopters, said
    Vecdi Gonul, adding that the final decision will be given in a couple
    of weeks.

    The committee's meeting, and along with it the decision, on the ATAK
    tender had already been delayed two months ago due to the earlier
    sudden illness of the premier, who heads the committee.

    The tender for the production of 50 helicopters -- 30 decided and 20
    additional -- sparked controversy between the General Staff and the
    government, as the military is said to be not willing to approve
    either of the two firms remaining in the tender, Italian Agusta
    Westland and the South African Rooivalk.

    Defense bureaucrats say that the recently passed French bill to
    penalize the denial of Armenian genocide claims in France will further
    complicate the decision process, as the South African company uses
    French engines.

    Former Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, who retired four
    months ago, had expressed objection to the Italian firm.
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