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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