gelatik
10.03.02, 04:07
ANKARA (March 10) - Turkey has awarded TAAS-Israel Industries the tender for
modernizing 170 of its US-made M-60 tanks, ending a years-long dilemma over the
fate of the aging weapons. The contract, which includes the transfer of
technology to develop third-generation tanks, is worth some $668 million.
In announcing the deal after a lengthy meeting on Friday, Turkey's Prime
Minister Bulent Ecevit said his country chose the Israeli company because of
the price it offered and its ability to conclude the project on time.
Sources in Ankara told the Post Ecevit was concerned about harsh reactions from
Muslim countries should an Israeli firm win the tender. Senior defense and
military officials, they said, convinced Ecevit that the upgrade is a pressing
need of the Turkish Armed Forces. Any further delay in the decision would
directly damage the military's modernization plans, which were already hampered
during the country's severe economic crisis, the officials added.
Negotiations were interrupted several times during the past three years over
huge gaps between Israeli and Turkish pricing of the deal. At first, Ankara had
started negotiations for the project with IMI-TAAS without opening a tender.
Two companies - Turkish FNSS-Nurol and US General Dynamics - were later
included, but were eliminated by the Turkish authorities.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, and IDF
Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz played key roles in the tender,
intensively lobbying for the bid during visits to Turkey last year.
Turkey decided to restart negotiations with IMI-TAAS over the tank
modernization deal two months ago, after having asked it to lower its price to
from $1 billion to $550-650 million.
The tanks will be modernized in a Turkish military factory in the central
Anatolian town of Kayseri; subcontracted Turkish firms Aselsan and MKE will
provide local input. The engine thrust, fire, and maneuverability of the tanks
will be renovated with computerized systems.
The tender is the third Turkish modernization program won by Israel. IAI won a
project to upgrade F-4 and F-5 fighter jets, and TAAS won a $110m. tender last
month to equip Turkish helicopters with electronic warfare systems.
