By UMIT ENGINSOY and BURAK EGE BEKDIL
ANKARA – Turkey’s top procurement body has once again delayed a much expected multibillion-dollar decision planned for April 12 to select between U.S. and Italian companies to lead production of Turkey’s next-generation military utility helicopters.
The key reason is Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ongoing visit to the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, France. The members of the Defense Industry Executive Committee, the top procurement body, are Erdogan, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul, Chief of the General Staff Gen. Isik Kosaner and procurement chief Murad Bayar.
One procurement official said the decision now is expected to be announced toward the end of next week.
The competition pits the U.S. Sikorsky Aircraft, offering its T-70, the Turkish version of its S-70 Black Hawk International, against Italy’s AgustaWestland, which is competing with its TUHP 149, the Turkish version of its newly developed A-149.
The contract is expected to be worth about $4 billion initially. This first batch will be for 109 utility helicopters, but with follow-on orders, more than 300 platforms are expected to be built, with a price tag of more than $10 billion, according to defense analysts.
The decision originally was expected at committee meetings on Dec. 15 and March 22.
via Turkey’s Copter Decision Delayed Again – Defense News.
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