This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

071357Z Sep 05

UNCLAS ANKARA 005195 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR EUR/SE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MARR MASS TU
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR DOD PARTICIPATION IN IDEF 2005 
 
REF: A. ANKARA 662 
 
     ¶B. ANKARA 2024 
     ¶C. ANKARA 1588 
 
¶1. (U) This report contains sensitive Business Information; 
please protect accordingly. 
 
¶2. (U) Post understands that Turkey's Minister of National 
Defense Vecdi Gonul has invited Secretary Rumsfeld and two US 
officials of his choice to participate in IDEF 2005, the 7th 
International Defense Industry, Aerospace and Maritime Fair. 
IDEF, a bi-annual event, will take place this year in Ankara 
from September 27-30.  As noted in reftel a, Post strongly 
encourages high-level participation at this event, which is 
one of the largest defense fairs in the region and which will 
provide a showcase for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF, F-36) 
and U.S. defense equipment. 
 
¶3. (U) Companies from 43 countries will participate in IDEF 
¶2005.  Falling just days before the Oct. 3 start of Turkey's 
EU accession negotiations, IDEF will provide a forum to 
display and demonstrate systems that showcase superior U.S. 
technology and interoperability.  Nineteen US firms will 
participate, including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Sikorsky, 
Raytheon and Northrop Grumman.  Lockheed Martin plans to 
demonstrate a JSF cockpit simulator. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Turkey's Undersecretariat for Defense Industries 
(SSM - Savunma Sanayi Mustesarligi) has twice extended the 
bid submission deadline for an Attack Helicopter tender 
issued in Feb. 2005 due to significant concerns by potential 
bidders over the contract terms and conditions (reftels b and 
c).  Despite several contract revisions, Boeing, the sole US 
firm considering participation, remains unconvinced that the 
changes go far enough to allow the company to bid, although 
they have not yet informed SSM of this.  Turkish defense 
industry insiders tell us that the Russian and South African 
firms which had considered participation also have 
significant reservations, and Italy's Agusta recently 
requested a deadline extension.  IDEF provides an opportunity 
for the US to remind Turkey that superior US technology can 
be theirs through the Foreign Military Sales program, saving 
Turkey wasted time in contract revisions and deadline 
extensions and ensuring Turkey's US and NATO interoperability 
well into the future. 
MCELDOWNEY