Italy's AgustaWestland, winner of Turkey's multibillion-dollar attack helicopter tender, signed an agreement yesterday with Turkish company ASELSAN during a ceremony on the second day of the International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF) at the Ankara Hippodrome.Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül, speaking at the ceremony said, Turkey actually awarded the attack helicopter tender not to a foreign company but to the Tusas Aerospace Industries (TAI) since AgustaWestland, the official winner of helicopter bid, will be producing the attack helicopters in Turkey and providing the technological know-how.In late March, the Turkish Defense Industry Executive Committee selected AgustaWestland, maker of the A-129 Mangusta International, over South Africa's Denel, maker of the CSH-2 Rooivalk, ending a 12-year period of uncertainty over the army's key modernization program. TAI will be the local prime contractor and jointly manufacture the platforms with AgustaWestland.
Four years ago TAI was a giant aircraft company whose hangars were empty but today it is a company that has to manufacture new hangars. Four years ago its volume of transactions amounted to around $1.7 billion and now it is approximately $9.5 billion. It is serving the entire world,� said Gönül, who was presented with a miniature scale model of A-129 attack helicopter.
The defense minister and Murad Bayar, head of the Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, later visited the stalls where Pakistan's defense products are exhibited. The two conveyed their condolences to Pakistan whose 10 citizens were injured as a result of the deadly explosion in the Turkish capital on late Tuesday. Gönül signed the register of condolence at the stalls after talks with Pakistani officials.
Accompanied by a delegation, Gönül participated in a series of signing ceremonies at the TAI stalls in the context of Turkish training aircraft development program. Another cooperation agreement was signed between Turkey's Machine Chemical Industry Institution and its Pakistani counterpart, Pakistani Army Plant.
U.S. Lockheed Martin Corporation introduced its programs and latest technology products at a press conference at IDEF 07. In Turkey, Lockheed Martin has experience mostly in aviation. In May, Turkey and the United States signed a letter of offer and acceptance for the sale of 30 additional Lockheed Martin Advanced F-16 Block 50 aircraft to Turkey for approximately $1.8 billion. About $1.1 billion of this will go to Lockheed Martin and its supplier base.
But we are not just an airline company. We are focusing on defense relations with Turkish industry that will be benefit not only Turkey's national security but also the Turkish defense industry, said James Jamerson, president of Lockheed Martin for Middle East and Africa.
He emphasized that the company was operating in aeronautics, electronic systems, information systems and global services.
Turkish Daily News, LINK
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