TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, January 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 000693 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MASS MARR PREL TU SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, January 2006 (Note: This is one of the regular series of unclassified reports on significant Turkish defense and national security issues in the press and other open sources. We welcome feedback on whether these reports are useful. End note) Contents -------------- -- Turkey to Buy Defense Missile System -- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries -- Defense Industry Activity: Tender issued for trainer aircraft, Gendarmerie helicopter, mobile surgical hospital Turkey to Buy Defense Missile System -------------- ¶1. The Turkish government's Defense Industry Executive Committee, consisting of PM Tayyip Erdogan, Chief of the Turkish General Staff (CHOD) GEN Hilmi Ozkok and Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, will convene on February 17 to evaluate the procurement of air defense systems to prepare against a possible threat from Iran, according to the center- right daily Sabah. The American Patriot, Russian S-300 and Israeli Arrow-2 anti-missile systems are among those under consideration. Reportedly following a Russian proposal for the co-manufacture of S-300 missiles in Turkey, a Turkish Defense Ministry delegation visited factories in Russia. The semi-governmental Anatolian News Agency reports that the Defense Industry Committee will also discuss the modernization of Turkey's F-4 warplanes, which will be done by TUSAS-TAI Aerospace Industries; procurement of police aircraft for the Naval Forces; and the modernization of C- 130 carriage aircraft . Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries -------------- --- ¶2. Morocco: Moroccan Armed Forces Inspector General Lieutenant General Abdelaziz Bennani visited TGS CHOD General Hilmi Ozkok on January 26. No information on the subject of their meeting was made public. ¶3. France: CHOD Ozkok made an official visit to Paris on January 20 to negotiate the details of the Turkey-France- Italy `joint command' of the ISAF Capital Region headquarters in Kabul, Afghanistan. The 3-days visit also included discussions on military and defense cooperation between Turkey and France, the Mediterranean Dialogue and NATO. Defense Industry Activity -------------- ¶5. SSM issued a RFP on January 6 for Turkish Air Force Basic Trainer Aircraft Program covering procurement of 36 turboprop trainer aircraft to replace the T-37C primary jet trainers that Turkey owns. Embraer, Korean Aerospace Industries, Pilatus Aircraft and Raytheon are expected to join the tender. Responses to the PFP are to be submitted to SSM by May 5. Corporate sources tell us that the American competitor is facing similar problems with his PFP to those Boeing had with the attack helicopter tender. ¶6. AgustaWestland with the A109 and AB139, Eurocopter with the EC 145 and EC 155, and HAL with the ALH/Dhruv submitted on January 16 a bid in response to an RFP (request for proposal) issued by Turkey's Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) for the Turkish Gendarmerie's Turna Program covering the procurement of 11 twin-engine surveillance and reconnaissance helicopters. Three other companies, including Bell Helicopter, which had showed interest in the tender, did not submit proposal. ¶7. SSM issued an RFP on January 16 for a 30-Bed Mobile Surgical Hospital and Mobile First Aid Station for the Turkish Armed Forces. The deadline for purchasing the RFP is February 10. ANKARA 00000693 002 OF 002 WILSON