Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Bastn Ozeti
The' second option was eventually chosen. The Turkish defenseestablishment dec~ded to make this change,
along with several others. Over a year ago, the Turks published a $4 billion tender for the purchase of
145 gunships for its ground forces -- one of the largest deals
-
in the history
-
of modern military avionics.
Yet, contrary to all the earlier forecasts, when the interim results of the bidding were published earlier
this month, it appeared that major contenders such as Boeing, the Apache Long-Bow producer, and Aerospecial,
the French-German concern that produces the Tiger, were eliminated. Thus, the closing stage of the tender
left, in fact, only three producers: the American Bell Textron, which offers the not yet operational. King
Cobra; the Italian Agusta, manufacturer of the Agusta A-129, and the Russian Kamov, maker of the K50-2.
The committee that is supposed to make the decision comprises the most senior decisionmakers of the Turkish
defense establishment, headed by Prime Minister Bulant Ecevit. Still, that committee has political considerations
to make, besides the security-related ones. It had to conduct careful negotiations with Russia
and the United States while making sure that its process of joining the EU was not harmed. This is why the
final stage of the tender has a balanced representation of the United States, Russia, and Europe.
What could perhaps tip the scale in .favor of the Israeli-Russian helicopter is the fact that if it wins the
tender, it stands to reason that the gunships would be built by the Turkish Aircraft Industries. The lAI
stands a good chance of gaining from the bidding in any event: In addition to being involved in building
the Russian helicopter, systems made by TAMAM, an lAI subsidiary specializing in night-vision equipment,
have been installed on the Italian gunship as well. At the same time, the Russian helicopter involves many
more Israeli companies: its modern shape is the product of Lahav, which.also dealt with the integration of
all the avionic systems -- all pure Israeli technology. Among the Israeli systems installed on the helicopter
are the main computer, a digital map, an electronic warfare system, the internal and external communication
systems, and night and day vision systems. Originally, the Russian helicopter was equipped with
12 supersonic antitank VIKHAR rockets and a 23mm gun. Now, although it had hesitated at first, the Israeli
Defense Minist.ry agreed to provide the gunships with 12 TV-guided antitank NTD missiles made by RAFA' EL
[Israel Armament Authority]. In addition, the helicopters will be armed with US-made air-to-air Stinger
missiles.
The IAI-Kamov partnership was forged in the mid-1990's, when it turned out that the Russ.ian Army could not
purchase any more helicopters. lAI Director General Moshe Qeret held a meeting in Moscow with Sergey
Mihiyev, Kamov president and chief planner, and the two examined a cooperative option by which the Russians
would provide the platforms and engines, and the Israelis would provide Western avionics.
It is believed that Turkey will announce the winner of the tender in the coming weeks. The lAI executives
believe that its chances of winning are fifty-fifty. The fact that the proposed American helicopter does
not even exist yet, while the K50-2 prototype had already had a demonstration flight in Turkey, will help.
Israeli-Turkish relations and. the fact that the lAI is chief contractor in the upgrading of the Turkish Air
Force's Phantoms and F-5's will help as well. The real question, however, is whether Turkey really and truly
intends to purchase 145 gunships. The tender bidders were told that in the first stage, Turkey would only
purchase 50. The next stage is not clear. It is believed that it all depends on domestic and political
developments. The procurerrientof helicopters, which will last for many years, is the test case of the
Turkish policy concerning the Kurds. The West has been pressuring the Turkish Government to make peace with
the large Kurdish minority in its midst and to stop violating civil rights. This is one of the preconditions
that Western Europe has made if Turkey wants to join the EU. Cutting down on helicopter procurement
is a d~mand that Western European countries may present. This would be their sweet revenge, especially if
after France and Germany it would turn out that Italy, and perhaps even the United States, would lose the
tender.
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