Boeing made an official announcement on May 21 at the Tusaş Aerospace Industries (TAI) facilities saying that the delivery of early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft would be delayed due to software and hardware problems.TAI officials also stated that the first delivery of the aircraft was expected to take place in 2010 at the earliest.
The first aircraft was intended to have been delivered last year under a $1.5 billion deal signed between the Turkish Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM) and Boeing in 2002. The project went into effect in 2003.
SSM Undersecretary Murat Bayar told the press that the delivery of the first AEW&C aircraft would be delayed due to some problems with the software source codes of the aircraft. It is not clear how much Boeing will pay the SSM to compensate for the delay. Maureen Dougherty, deputy president of Boeing, gave a press briefing yesterday at the TAI facilities in Ankara and stated that the delivery of the AEW&C aircraft, dubbed “Peace Eagle,” was delayed due to a failure in completing the aircraft’s software and the hardware systems.
The development of the sensors has been slower than planned, Dougherty said, while also stating that the installation of the datalink capabilities to the mission computer of the aircraft was harder than expected. Dougherty said that Boeing holds full responsibility for the delays and will meet its commitments following ongoing talks with the SSM. The modification of the first AEW&C aircraft was continuing at the Boeing center in Seattle while the modification of the remaining three AEW&C aircraft will be done at TAI facilities. The first test flights of the first AEW&C aircraft are scheduled for autumn of this year while the test flights of the other three aircraft being modified at TAI will take place next year. The delivery of the first AEW&C aircraft -- with the software and hardware problems solved -- will be realized in 2010 at the earliest, said TAI officials.
The Turkish Air Force Command had already readied its 131st Fleet at the third main air force base in Konya for the delivery of four plus two Boeing 737 AEW&C aircraft and ground-support elements between 2006 and 2009. The AEW&C aircraft contract was subject to a parliamentary probe in 2003 over allegations that Boeing was not meeting some specified contractual issues, thus putting an extra financial burden on Turkey. However the probe was closed with no result. AEW&C aircraft will help improve Turkey’s radar surveillance over long distances and, in particular, in the Aegean Sea.
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