Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07ANKARA494
2007-03-05 15:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ankara
Cable title:
TURKEY: WEAPONS TRAINING DEPLOYMENTS REINITIATED
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHAK #0494 0641556 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 051556Z MAR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1213 INFO RUEHAK/USDAO ANKARA TU RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC//USDP:PDUSDP/ISA:EUR/ISA:NESA/DSCA// RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC//J-3/J-5// RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RHMFISS/425ABS IZMIR TU//CC// RHMFISS/39ABG INCIRLIK AB TU
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000494
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: WEAPONS TRAINING DEPLOYMENTS REINITIATED
AT INCIRLIK AIR BASE
Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Carl Siebentritt,
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 000494
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: WEAPONS TRAINING DEPLOYMENTS REINITIATED
AT INCIRLIK AIR BASE
Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Carl Siebentritt,
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On February 23, the US 22nd and 23rd Fighter
Squadrons, based at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany,
completed a six-week long Weapons Training Deployment (WTD)
(NOTE: Turkey prefers the use of the term Rotational Training
Deployment) at Incirlik Air Base, the first significant WTD
to take place in Turkey since 1991. During the training,
over 60 pilots conducted more than 600 sorties -- almost 15%
more than projected -- and completed low altitude and night
flight training requirements. By housing 250 air crew and
support personnel on base and not in commercial facilities,
the squadrons saved over $2 million in administrative costs.
2. (C) COMMENT: In recent years Turkey has resisted several
US requests to conduct WTDs in Turkey. The Turkish General
Staff has rejected US requests to expand the WTD program
beyond Incirlik to Konya Air Base, where US pilots
participate in the annual multilateral Anatolian Eagle
exercise, because US use of Konya for this purpose is not
reflected in the Defense Economic Cooperation Agreement
(DECA). The successful conduct of this WTD, which received
minimal and generally positive press coverage (Note: although
one article suggested this was preparation for an attack on
Iran),enabled Spangdahlem pilots to accomplish required
training events which would be difficult to complete in
Germany due to poor weather and significant airspace
restrictions both in Germany and in the surrounding
countries. It provides a positive precedent for a follow-on
WTD at Incirlik that is tentatively scheduled for May 2007.
END COMMENT.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR MOPS TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: WEAPONS TRAINING DEPLOYMENTS REINITIATED
AT INCIRLIK AIR BASE
Classified By: Political-Military Counselor Carl Siebentritt,
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) On February 23, the US 22nd and 23rd Fighter
Squadrons, based at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany,
completed a six-week long Weapons Training Deployment (WTD)
(NOTE: Turkey prefers the use of the term Rotational Training
Deployment) at Incirlik Air Base, the first significant WTD
to take place in Turkey since 1991. During the training,
over 60 pilots conducted more than 600 sorties -- almost 15%
more than projected -- and completed low altitude and night
flight training requirements. By housing 250 air crew and
support personnel on base and not in commercial facilities,
the squadrons saved over $2 million in administrative costs.
2. (C) COMMENT: In recent years Turkey has resisted several
US requests to conduct WTDs in Turkey. The Turkish General
Staff has rejected US requests to expand the WTD program
beyond Incirlik to Konya Air Base, where US pilots
participate in the annual multilateral Anatolian Eagle
exercise, because US use of Konya for this purpose is not
reflected in the Defense Economic Cooperation Agreement
(DECA). The successful conduct of this WTD, which received
minimal and generally positive press coverage (Note: although
one article suggested this was preparation for an attack on
Iran),enabled Spangdahlem pilots to accomplish required
training events which would be difficult to complete in
Germany due to poor weather and significant airspace
restrictions both in Germany and in the surrounding
countries. It provides a positive precedent for a follow-on
WTD at Incirlik that is tentatively scheduled for May 2007.
END COMMENT.
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/
WILSON