Korean bidder wins Turkish military aircraft contract
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Korean Aerospace Industries will sell basic trainer aircraft to the Turkish Air Force in a contract worth around $450 million
Ankara – Turkish Daily News
South Korea's aerospace powerhouse Korean Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) has won a contract to sell up to 54 basic trainer aircraft to the Turkish Air Force.
KAI, maker of the KT-1 trainer aircraft, was competing with a Brazilian rival, Embraer, maker of the Super Tucano. Industry sources estimate the contract price to be at around $450 million.
Turkey's defense procurement office, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) has announced that it will open contract negotiations with KAI for the trainer aircraft program.
Korean officials described the number of aircraft as ‘more than 30' whereas Turkish officials said the number can go up to 54.
A Turkish procurement official familiar with the trainer aircraft said that KAI offered a better price and participation for local industry. “We are hoping to begin contract negotiations in the days ahead and conclude the contract as soon as possible, and I don't think there will be any sticky issues,” the official said.
The SSM also said that it decided to build the South Korean-made XK-2 main battle tank under a licensing agreement. Turkey had earlier awarded a contract to armored vehicles manufacturer Otokar to design, develop and build what would become Turkey's first national new generation main battle tank. The government will channel around $500 million to Otokar for the task.
Negotiations will also begin soon for licenses to build the XK-2 tank, which bears an indigenous 120mm/55-caliber smooth bore gun and can hit 70 kilometers per hour on paved roads. South Korea advertises the XK-2, unveiled in March, as a peer to the U.S. M1A2 SEP and the French Leclerc tanks.
The South Korean Air Force operates 85 KT-1s, which entered service in 2000. The 10.3-meter turboprop plane has a top speed of 574 kilometers per hour, a maximum altitude of roughly 10,000 meters, and a range of 1,700 kilometers. Indonesia has also purchased 19 KT-1s in two batches, seven in a $60 million deal in 2003 and in 2006.
The tank and trainer aircraft contracts together will make the combination Seoul's second biggest export sale following the $1 billion licensing of artillery to Turkey in 2001.
Ankara – Turkish Daily News
South Korea's aerospace powerhouse Korean Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) has won a contract to sell up to 54 basic trainer aircraft to the Turkish Air Force.
KAI, maker of the KT-1 trainer aircraft, was competing with a Brazilian rival, Embraer, maker of the Super Tucano. Industry sources estimate the contract price to be at around $450 million.
Turkey's defense procurement office, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) has announced that it will open contract negotiations with KAI for the trainer aircraft program.
Korean officials described the number of aircraft as ‘more than 30' whereas Turkish officials said the number can go up to 54.
A Turkish procurement official familiar with the trainer aircraft said that KAI offered a better price and participation for local industry. “We are hoping to begin contract negotiations in the days ahead and conclude the contract as soon as possible, and I don't think there will be any sticky issues,” the official said.
The SSM also said that it decided to build the South Korean-made XK-2 main battle tank under a licensing agreement. Turkey had earlier awarded a contract to armored vehicles manufacturer Otokar to design, develop and build what would become Turkey's first national new generation main battle tank. The government will channel around $500 million to Otokar for the task.
Negotiations will also begin soon for licenses to build the XK-2 tank, which bears an indigenous 120mm/55-caliber smooth bore gun and can hit 70 kilometers per hour on paved roads. South Korea advertises the XK-2, unveiled in March, as a peer to the U.S. M1A2 SEP and the French Leclerc tanks.
The South Korean Air Force operates 85 KT-1s, which entered service in 2000. The 10.3-meter turboprop plane has a top speed of 574 kilometers per hour, a maximum altitude of roughly 10,000 meters, and a range of 1,700 kilometers. Indonesia has also purchased 19 KT-1s in two batches, seven in a $60 million deal in 2003 and in 2006.
The tank and trainer aircraft contracts together will make the combination Seoul's second biggest export sale following the $1 billion licensing of artillery to Turkey in 2001.
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