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.