TURKISH UNDERSECRETARIAT FOR DEFENSE INDUSTRIES

UNCLAS ANKARA 001259

SIPDIS

STATE PLEASE PASS TO EUR/SE AND NP/ECNP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA ETTC PARM PREL MARR MASS TU
SUBJECT: TURKISH UNDERSECRETARIAT FOR DEFENSE INDUSTRIES
TAKES OVER SATELLITE COOPERATION PROGRAM

REF: A. ANKARA 6205

B. STATE 225833

C. ANKARA 5005


1. Deputy PolMilCouns followed up with Turkish Air Force
(TUAF) Space Branch Satellite Systems Design Officer Captain
Kocabicak regarding TUAF evaluation of the international
responses to the Remote Sensing Satellite Questionnaire it
had submitted to six countries in August 2004. Per Captain
Kocabicak's comments in November (Ref A),TUAF had expected
to complete its evaluation of the responses by the end of the
first quarter of 2005. However, according to Kocabicak, TUAF
has already completed its evaluation and, during the week of
Feb. 27, held a meeting with the Turkish General Staff (TGS)
and Savunma Sanayi Mustesarligi (SSM),the Undersecretariat
for Defense Industries, to discuss the project and to hand
responsibility for next steps over to SSM.


2. According to both Captain Kocabicak and SSM Electronic
Systems Office Director Ahmet Lutfu Varoglu, TUAF has passed
the questionnaire responses to TGS, which will review them,
and pass them to SSM within several weeks for final
evaluation. According to Varoglu, if SSM determines that
TUAF did not request adequate information in any particular
area of interest, it may issue a Request for Information
(RFI) by the end of March to gather the missing information.
If, however, SSM considers the responses sufficient, it will
assign a Turkish company to act as the prime contractor and
will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) by mid-year for
foreign companies to bid as subcontractors. Neither SSM nor
TUAF would provide any details on the project parameters of
the proposed RFP.


3. SSM office director Varoglu expected to have a better
sense of the required next steps at the end of March. Post
will follow up with SSM at that time.
EDELMAN