CHINA CONFIRMS SALE OF AIR DEFENSE MISSILE SYSTEM TO TURKEY
16:28, 19 Mar 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan
China confirmed an agreement to sell the HQ-9 air defense missile
system to Turkey on Tuesday, during the Langkawi International Maritime
and Aerospace exhibition in Malaysia, China Daily reports.
A representative of China National Precision Machinery Import & Export
Corporation said it was well-known that the Chinese FD-2000 system, a
HQ-9 model for export, was chosen for the contract with Turkey in 2013.
The representative said in an interview with China Central Television
that the FD-2000 is one of the most important products the corporation
brought to the LIMA, Asia’s largest defense and security exhibition.
Besides the FD-2000, Chinese military industry businesses also brought
the F-22P frigate and LPD dock landing ship to the exhibition.
When Turkey chose the China National Precision Machinery Import &
Export Corporation to co-produce a $4 billion long-range air and
missile defense system in September 2013, China sold air defense
weapons to a NATO member for the first time.
According to a report from CCTV’s website, the winning Chinese FD-2000
system beat the US Patriot, the Russian S-400 and the French-Italian
Eurosam Samp-T.
Turkish analysts said their choice of a Chinese firm was for
technological reasons as well as cost effectiveness. The contract
enables Turkey to have its own long-range missile defense system for
the first time, according to CCTV.