When two South Korean weapons manufacturers won key contracts in Turkey last month, they did not only grab deals their Western and other rivals had been chasing for several years, but also a strategic position that may pave the way for broader defense industry cooperation with a friendly country.
Turkey selected the South Korean companies for its trainer aircraft and main battle tank programs, and Seoul's share in the deals may exceed $1 billion with expected follow-on contracts.
Turkish officials and U.S. and Turkish analysts point to the following advantages South Korea's defense industry has in dealing with Ankara:
- Political relations are excellent, dating back to the Korean war, in which Turkey in late 1950 sent 5,500 troops to the east Asian peninsula to join United Nations forces to fight against communist armies of North Korea and China;
- Turks view South Korean defense products as reasonably priced;
- South Korea is willing to provide technology transfer at a time when the United States, Ankara's largest weapons supplier so far, is reluctant on the matter;
- Both Turkey and South Korea have defense systems based on U.S. and NATO standards, facilitating their defense cooperation.
Lucrative deals:
Turkey's trainer aircraft program is worth around $450 million and involves up to 54 platforms. For this deal Ankara in June selected KT-1 Woongbi, made by Korea Aerospace Industries, which defeated the Super Tucano from Brazil's Embraer.
The South Korean company and the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), Turkey's procurement agency, are expected to sign the contract in late July or early August, sources from both sides said.
Turkey also selected South Korea's XK-2 platform, made by the Agency for Defense Development, as model for its national main battle tank program.
Negotiations to finalize the tank deal have also kicked off, with a Korean source saying last week that there had been excellent progress in talks with SSM.
Turkish procurement officials said that South Korean companies were also bidding for two more Turkish contracts: A program to build low altitude air defense systems; and another for the procurement of amphibious operation ships (landing platform docks) for the Turkish Navy. Koreans entered the Turkish defense market in 2001 when they secured a nearly $1 billion deal for an artillery license for the Army.
The Turkish-Korean defense industry rapprochement came at a time when Ankara and Washington are involved in disputes on Iraq war-related matters.
Turkey is planning to buy U.S.-designed fighter aircraft and related services worth over $15 billion over the next 15 years, but in other defense fields, U.S. commercial sales to Ankara are faltering.
Umit Enginsoy, Turkish Daily News, LINK
Turkey selected the South Korean companies for its trainer aircraft and main battle tank programs, and Seoul's share in the deals may exceed $1 billion with expected follow-on contracts.
Turkish officials and U.S. and Turkish analysts point to the following advantages South Korea's defense industry has in dealing with Ankara:
- Political relations are excellent, dating back to the Korean war, in which Turkey in late 1950 sent 5,500 troops to the east Asian peninsula to join United Nations forces to fight against communist armies of North Korea and China;
- Turks view South Korean defense products as reasonably priced;
- South Korea is willing to provide technology transfer at a time when the United States, Ankara's largest weapons supplier so far, is reluctant on the matter;
- Both Turkey and South Korea have defense systems based on U.S. and NATO standards, facilitating their defense cooperation.
Lucrative deals:
Turkey's trainer aircraft program is worth around $450 million and involves up to 54 platforms. For this deal Ankara in June selected KT-1 Woongbi, made by Korea Aerospace Industries, which defeated the Super Tucano from Brazil's Embraer.
The South Korean company and the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), Turkey's procurement agency, are expected to sign the contract in late July or early August, sources from both sides said.
Turkey also selected South Korea's XK-2 platform, made by the Agency for Defense Development, as model for its national main battle tank program.
Negotiations to finalize the tank deal have also kicked off, with a Korean source saying last week that there had been excellent progress in talks with SSM.
Turkish procurement officials said that South Korean companies were also bidding for two more Turkish contracts: A program to build low altitude air defense systems; and another for the procurement of amphibious operation ships (landing platform docks) for the Turkish Navy. Koreans entered the Turkish defense market in 2001 when they secured a nearly $1 billion deal for an artillery license for the Army.
The Turkish-Korean defense industry rapprochement came at a time when Ankara and Washington are involved in disputes on Iraq war-related matters.
Turkey is planning to buy U.S.-designed fighter aircraft and related services worth over $15 billion over the next 15 years, but in other defense fields, U.S. commercial sales to Ankara are faltering.
Umit Enginsoy, Turkish Daily News, LINK
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