(Asien) Türkische Streitkräfte

[Skywalker]

Turkey Leans Toward Eurocopter for Gunship Deal

Eurocopter’s Tiger has emerged as an early frontrunner in Turkey’s multibillion-dollar attack helicopter program at a time when Ankara is seeking to boost its European Union (EU) membership bid with large-scale business deals with the bloc, Turkish government officials and international business sources said.

Turkey’s procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), is planning to send a request for proposals to international gunship manufacturers before the end of this year for the long-delayed program to buy 50 helicopters, SSM sources said. The deal is worth more than $2 billion.

Turkish officials said that as the country was preparing to launch formal membership talks with the European Union, it intended to follow a “balanced approach” between U.S. and European suppliers in future defense deals.

Quelle: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=248068&messageid=1099332320&lp=1099332320">http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?f ... 1099332320</a><!-- m -->

Tank Deal Awaits EU Decision on Turk Membership

A tank deal between Turkey and Germany will go through after the European Union sets a date for Ankara to start formal membership talks with the 25-nation bloc, Turkish and German officials said.

The sale of nearly 250 second-hand Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks could be sealed shortly after the Dec. 17 meeting of EU leaders.

“There has been major progress for a deal,” a senior Turkish military official said. “We hope December’s summit will remove the last remaining political obstacle.”

Although Germany and Turkey are NATO allies, Berlin has declined to sell some weapons to Ankara because of concerns over human rights.

But the EU Commission’s Oct. 6 decision to recommend accession talks also opened the door to more arms sales, German Defense Minister Peter Struck said.

A German diplomat here said that both Ankara and Berlin were keen to pen a deal on the Leopard tanks.

Quelle: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?forumid=248068&messageid=1099333074&lp=1099333074">http://www.network54.com/Forum/thread?f ... 1099333074</a><!-- m -->

Sollte sich die Türkei für den Leopard-2 entscheiden, so ist es geplannt das die Leos mit dem türkischen Feuerleitsystem "Kartal Gözü" von Aselsan ausgerüstet werden.