18.02.2005, 18:46
Turkey re-launches troubled helicopter competition
Defense industry analysis
Six international bidders obtain tender documents for the multi-billion-dollar contract for an eventual purchase of 90 attack helicopters New program involves an initial off-the-shelf purchase of 10 choppers; later, some critical subsystems, including the mission computer, electronic warfare suites and weaponry are to be installed on the remaining 20 platforms locally Some international heavyweights in the market may abstain from bidding because of too much local content
Turkey re-launches troubled helicopter competition:
More than eight years after Turkey kicked off its ambitious program to co-manufacture dozens of attack helicopters for its Army, procurement officials in Ankara are almost back to square one.
The “lost years” saw extended bickering with a leading U.S. helicopter manufacturer and wrangling with the Pentagon over technology transfer.
When Turkey originally launched the chopper program, it faced two options: first, buying a few dozen helicopters off the shelf and simply operating them, and, second, co-producing the systems and in the meantime gaining key technological capabilities for its defense industry. Turkey has ended up with neither.
Ankara is now once again inviting international defense contractors to a fresh bidding for the helicopter gunship business, but in the best case it may take another decade before the Army operates a strong fleet of attack helicopters.
Turkey's defense procurement office, the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM), on Feb. 10 released a long-delayed request for a proposal, or a detailed bidding document, for the attack helicopter program. Turkey asks contenders to submit their bids by June 10.
The 30 gunships are expected to cost anywhere between $1-2 billion, with Turkey eventually planning to buy some 90 helicopters.
Six foreign contractors have already obtained the tender document. Potential bidders are the U.S. Boeing, maker of the AH-64 Apache; the U.S. Bell Helicopter Textron, with the AH-1Z; the U.S. Sikorsky Aircraft, with an armed version of its S-70 Black Hawk; Europe's Eurocopter, maker of Tiger; Italy's Agusta, maker of the Mangusta A129; and Russia's Moscow Helicopter Plant, maker of the Mi-28 Havoc.
In the event Turkey, as expected, lifts procurement restrictions against South Africa soon, the country's helicopter manufacturer Denel, maker of the Rooivalk, is also expected to join the competition.
Officials said the new program involves an initial off-the-shelf purchase of 10 choppers. Later, some critical subsystems, including the mission computer, electronic warfare suites and weaponry are to be installed on the remaining 20 platforms locally.
One key matter is Turkey's insistence on indigenously developing and building those critical subsystems. Many analysts say some international heavyweights in the market may abstain from bidding because of “too much local content and related complications” for the program.
“There are problems particularly for American companies,” said one analyst. “As Turkey can remember from its previous and collapsed chopper program, the U.S. government, for its own reasons, doesn't allow for assembling too many locally-produced subsystems on U.S.-designed platforms.”
“And secondly how Turkey in the years to come will be able obtain a capability to develop, build, integrate and operate the subsystems it intends to make locally and assemble on purchased platforms is not clear at all.”
In the now-defunct program, Turkey in 2002 selected Bell Helicopter Textron for contract negotiations for co-production of 50 AH-1Zs.
But after four years of talks that failed to produce reconciliation on price and technology transfer, Ankara altogether cancelled the program last May and opted for fresh international competition.
One reason why the talks collapsed with Bell was related to the mission computer, a device integrating a helicopter's electronic and aviation systems. Citing obstacles in U.S. export regulations, the Pentagon did not allow Turkey to install a nationally-designed mission computer in a U.S. helicopter.
But Turkish officials say that gaining the capability to locally manufacture the mission computer and many other subsystems is critical to the development of a stronger defense industry.
The government has already ordered the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) to begin work to develop the mission computer. TUBITAK will receive some $30 million in R&D money for the process.
“The American position is clear on the issue, but Turkey is still is insisting on a local nature for the mission computer,” said one industry source. “In addition there are other major critical subsystems Turkey wants to manufacture itself. So, it will be very difficult for a U.S. company to meet these requirements if the Turkish government selects an American option.”
Indeed there are early indications that the three potential U.S. contenders will evaluate the Turkish criteria in a very detailed way before deciding whether to bid for SSM's tender.
Also it is not clear how Eurocopter and Agusta, two Western European defense powerhouses, will receive the Turkish position. Analysts said the Russians, however, are likely to agree to SSM's conditions.
The Turkish Army presently has less than 10 AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters, manufactured by Bell and purchased in the 1990s, and 20 earlier models of the Cobra family.
“We don't know at this point if the SSM model will be successful, or if it will become another failure like the previous case,” said an industry source.
kann das mal einer übersetzen:merci:
Defense industry analysis
Six international bidders obtain tender documents for the multi-billion-dollar contract for an eventual purchase of 90 attack helicopters New program involves an initial off-the-shelf purchase of 10 choppers; later, some critical subsystems, including the mission computer, electronic warfare suites and weaponry are to be installed on the remaining 20 platforms locally Some international heavyweights in the market may abstain from bidding because of too much local content
Turkey re-launches troubled helicopter competition:
More than eight years after Turkey kicked off its ambitious program to co-manufacture dozens of attack helicopters for its Army, procurement officials in Ankara are almost back to square one.
The “lost years” saw extended bickering with a leading U.S. helicopter manufacturer and wrangling with the Pentagon over technology transfer.
When Turkey originally launched the chopper program, it faced two options: first, buying a few dozen helicopters off the shelf and simply operating them, and, second, co-producing the systems and in the meantime gaining key technological capabilities for its defense industry. Turkey has ended up with neither.
Ankara is now once again inviting international defense contractors to a fresh bidding for the helicopter gunship business, but in the best case it may take another decade before the Army operates a strong fleet of attack helicopters.
Turkey's defense procurement office, the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM), on Feb. 10 released a long-delayed request for a proposal, or a detailed bidding document, for the attack helicopter program. Turkey asks contenders to submit their bids by June 10.
The 30 gunships are expected to cost anywhere between $1-2 billion, with Turkey eventually planning to buy some 90 helicopters.
Six foreign contractors have already obtained the tender document. Potential bidders are the U.S. Boeing, maker of the AH-64 Apache; the U.S. Bell Helicopter Textron, with the AH-1Z; the U.S. Sikorsky Aircraft, with an armed version of its S-70 Black Hawk; Europe's Eurocopter, maker of Tiger; Italy's Agusta, maker of the Mangusta A129; and Russia's Moscow Helicopter Plant, maker of the Mi-28 Havoc.
In the event Turkey, as expected, lifts procurement restrictions against South Africa soon, the country's helicopter manufacturer Denel, maker of the Rooivalk, is also expected to join the competition.
Officials said the new program involves an initial off-the-shelf purchase of 10 choppers. Later, some critical subsystems, including the mission computer, electronic warfare suites and weaponry are to be installed on the remaining 20 platforms locally.
One key matter is Turkey's insistence on indigenously developing and building those critical subsystems. Many analysts say some international heavyweights in the market may abstain from bidding because of “too much local content and related complications” for the program.
“There are problems particularly for American companies,” said one analyst. “As Turkey can remember from its previous and collapsed chopper program, the U.S. government, for its own reasons, doesn't allow for assembling too many locally-produced subsystems on U.S.-designed platforms.”
“And secondly how Turkey in the years to come will be able obtain a capability to develop, build, integrate and operate the subsystems it intends to make locally and assemble on purchased platforms is not clear at all.”
In the now-defunct program, Turkey in 2002 selected Bell Helicopter Textron for contract negotiations for co-production of 50 AH-1Zs.
But after four years of talks that failed to produce reconciliation on price and technology transfer, Ankara altogether cancelled the program last May and opted for fresh international competition.
One reason why the talks collapsed with Bell was related to the mission computer, a device integrating a helicopter's electronic and aviation systems. Citing obstacles in U.S. export regulations, the Pentagon did not allow Turkey to install a nationally-designed mission computer in a U.S. helicopter.
But Turkish officials say that gaining the capability to locally manufacture the mission computer and many other subsystems is critical to the development of a stronger defense industry.
The government has already ordered the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) to begin work to develop the mission computer. TUBITAK will receive some $30 million in R&D money for the process.
“The American position is clear on the issue, but Turkey is still is insisting on a local nature for the mission computer,” said one industry source. “In addition there are other major critical subsystems Turkey wants to manufacture itself. So, it will be very difficult for a U.S. company to meet these requirements if the Turkish government selects an American option.”
Indeed there are early indications that the three potential U.S. contenders will evaluate the Turkish criteria in a very detailed way before deciding whether to bid for SSM's tender.
Also it is not clear how Eurocopter and Agusta, two Western European defense powerhouses, will receive the Turkish position. Analysts said the Russians, however, are likely to agree to SSM's conditions.
The Turkish Army presently has less than 10 AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters, manufactured by Bell and purchased in the 1990s, and 20 earlier models of the Cobra family.
“We don't know at this point if the SSM model will be successful, or if it will become another failure like the previous case,” said an industry source.
kann das mal einer übersetzen:merci: