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Only three defense programs left for co-production with foreign partners 
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
ÜMİT ENGİNSOY
ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

Turkey has three more large-scale defense programs left for selecting a foreign company partner before the country starts producing almost all of its military needs domestically. ‘With exceptions of some subsystems, the Turkish defense industry will be capable of meeting almost all our needs within 15 years,’ says a senior procurement official
In the early 1980s, Turkey launched its ambitious defense modernization program, initially with modest objectives for F-16 jet fighter assembly and joint production of simpler weapons, including armored vehicles.
Nearly 30 years and tens of billions of dollars later, the country is now capable of manufacturing most of its defense needs itself. In terms of large-scale programs, Ankara is scheduled to select foreign partners only for three major projects. Turkey plans to build the rest itself.
The three programs with foreign partners are for the long-range missile- and air-defense systems known as T-Loramids, for light utility helicopters and a second next-generation fighter aircraft dubbed FX.
For T-Loramids, Turkey's selection will come toward the end of this year or early next year. For this nearly $4 billion program, a U.S. partnership of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, is proposing their Patriot missile- and air-defense systems, capable of firing Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and Gem.T missiles. The Italian-French Eurosam, is offering its SAMP/T Aster 30, Russia's Rosoboronexport is marketing the S300 and China's China Precision Machinery Export-Import Corp., CPMIEC, is selling its HQ-9.
For the multi-billion-dollar light utility program, Turkey is expected to make a decision next year. Turkey's procurement office already is holding talks with the U.S. Sikorsky Aircraft and the U.S. firm's rival, AgustaWestland of Italy, will also likely pursue the contract.
For T-Loramids and the light helicopters, Turkish companies will be required to produce at least half of the products in terms of the contracts total value.

An F-35 is seen in this file photo. The country is expected to buy around 100 of this aircraft for about $13 billion. The F-35 is one of the leading options. Hürriyet photo

Fighter aircraft
For next generation fighter aircraft, Turkey already is a member of a U.S.-led international consortium that will produce the stealth F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II and is expected to buy around 100 of this aircraft for approximately $13 billion. Deliveries should start in 2015.
In addition Ankara plans to develop another fighter aircraft with a country other than the United States in the 2020s. The European Eurofighter is willing to work with Turkey on this program. The Turkish Aerospace Industries, or TAI, is presently working on the planned aircraft's specifications and Ankara is expected to select a foreign partner for this early 2013 project.
There are several other programs in which Turkey is already working with foreign partners, but with the completion of these projects, T-Loramids, light utility helicopter and FX, Ankara no longer will seek large-scale joint programs.
The present programs include joint production of attack and utility helicopters with Italian and U.S. companies, respectively. Both programs call for more than 50 percent of domestic production. For the Navy’s production program, Turkey is working with Germany's HDW for joint manufacture of four modern submarines.
Before 2020 Turkey also plans to acquire a Landing Platform Dock mainly for overseas deployments in international relief operations. Such ships generally carry a battalion-sized unit of nearly 1,000 troops and several helicopters. A Turkish company will manufacture most of the work, by transferring and obtaining the technological know-how from a foreign firm in this program.
Turkey also presently is involved in creating four prototypes of the country's first main battle tank, the Altay, by transferring technology from South Korea. But when the serial production stage begins after 2015, only Turkish companies will be involved in the programs.
One general exception is on engines. The German MTU and other foreign engine makers are expected to continue their involvement in building the engines of several Turkish weapons systems, including the Altay.
"With exceptions of some subsystems, the Turkish defense industry will be capable of meeting almost all our needs within 15 years," said a senior procurement official. "Even now we can manufacture almost all Army and Navy platforms and develop our Air Force capabilities."

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