Several local and foreign manufacturers have responded to a Turkish competition document for a program designed to boost the country’s air defense systems. Industry sources see that as evidence of intention to bid.
According to Turkey’s defense procurement office, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), 13 companies have responded to a request for information (RfI) released last month: Turkish firms Aselsan, Ayesas, C-Tech, FNSS, Gate, Havelsan Teknoloji Radar, Milsoft and Roketsan; U.S. companies Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon; Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI); and China’s CPMIEC. The SSM said Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have declared that they will respond to the RfI via the U.S. government within the scope of price and availability data studies.
The program entails the procurement of four long-range air and missile defense systems to meet the requirement of the Turkish Air Force. Industry sources say the contract value could exceed $1 billion.
Procurement officials and analysts said the two strongest candidates are the U.S.-built Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and Russia’s S-300 systems, but also noted that Europe’s EADS could enter the competition with its Eurosam Aster 30-SAMP/T system. They also said another Chinese manufacturer, which they did not identify, could join the race.
Another potential candidate is Israel’s Arrow-2, developed by IAI and Boeing. But Turkish officials say Washington likely will forbid the kind of technology transfer Turkey is looking for.
Russia’s S-300P, dubbed the SA-10 Grumble by NATO, was developed by the air defense concern Almaz-Antei, Moscow, and has been purchased by China, Croatia, Greece, India, Slovakia and Vietnam. Russia recently developed an upgraded variant called the Triumf S-400 to defend Moscow.
Lockheed Martin primarily has been in talks with Roketsan, a military-owned missile manufacturer, and Kale Kalip, a privately owned defense company, both based here. Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control unit, Dallas, is the prime systems integrator for the Patriot, variants of which have been purchased by Belgium, Germany, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands and Spain. The PAC-3 is an upgraded version of Raytheon’s MIM-104 Patriot medium- and long-range surface-to-air missile. The Patriot became the world’s only combat-proven tactical ballistic missile defense system during the 1991 Gulf War.
Turkey’s initiative to boost its air defense systems comes amid international worries about the alleged nuclear weapon aspirations of Iran, Turkey’s eastern neighbor. Iranian officials have said their Shahab-3 surface-to-surface missile can strike targets more than 1,200 miles away, putting all of Turkey within range.
Defencenews.com , LINK
According to Turkey’s defense procurement office, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), 13 companies have responded to a request for information (RfI) released last month: Turkish firms Aselsan, Ayesas, C-Tech, FNSS, Gate, Havelsan Teknoloji Radar, Milsoft and Roketsan; U.S. companies Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon; Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI); and China’s CPMIEC. The SSM said Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have declared that they will respond to the RfI via the U.S. government within the scope of price and availability data studies.
The program entails the procurement of four long-range air and missile defense systems to meet the requirement of the Turkish Air Force. Industry sources say the contract value could exceed $1 billion.
Procurement officials and analysts said the two strongest candidates are the U.S.-built Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) and Russia’s S-300 systems, but also noted that Europe’s EADS could enter the competition with its Eurosam Aster 30-SAMP/T system. They also said another Chinese manufacturer, which they did not identify, could join the race.
Another potential candidate is Israel’s Arrow-2, developed by IAI and Boeing. But Turkish officials say Washington likely will forbid the kind of technology transfer Turkey is looking for.
Russia’s S-300P, dubbed the SA-10 Grumble by NATO, was developed by the air defense concern Almaz-Antei, Moscow, and has been purchased by China, Croatia, Greece, India, Slovakia and Vietnam. Russia recently developed an upgraded variant called the Triumf S-400 to defend Moscow.
Lockheed Martin primarily has been in talks with Roketsan, a military-owned missile manufacturer, and Kale Kalip, a privately owned defense company, both based here. Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control unit, Dallas, is the prime systems integrator for the Patriot, variants of which have been purchased by Belgium, Germany, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands and Spain. The PAC-3 is an upgraded version of Raytheon’s MIM-104 Patriot medium- and long-range surface-to-air missile. The Patriot became the world’s only combat-proven tactical ballistic missile defense system during the 1991 Gulf War.
Turkey’s initiative to boost its air defense systems comes amid international worries about the alleged nuclear weapon aspirations of Iran, Turkey’s eastern neighbor. Iranian officials have said their Shahab-3 surface-to-surface missile can strike targets more than 1,200 miles away, putting all of Turkey within range.
Defencenews.com , LINK
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