Eurofighter group proposes $5 bln work for Turkey's defense
industry
http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/...p?enewsid=44656
Eurofighter proposes Turkey final assembly, weapons system
integration, parts manufacturing and maintenance tasks for over 400
aircraft. The proposal matches rival JSF groups local work offer
of over $4 billion
Florence/Grosseto, Italy TDN Defense Desk
The four-nation, European Eurofighter consortium that builds the
Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet has proposed a $5 billion
industrial participation program to Turkey, a deal that will take
effect if Ankara decides to become the group's fifth partner.
Giovanni Bertolone, chief executive officer for Alenia Aeronautica,
the Italian partners of the Eurofighter group that promotes the
fighter in Turkey, said that the proposal involves the final
assembly of the entire program beginning with the manufacture of
aircraft for Turkey. An Alenia official said that the assembly work
would involve about 100 aircraft for the Turkish Air Force plus
over 300 aircraft the Eurofighter group hopes to sell to other
buyers.
The work will also involve the integration of weapons systems,
production of parts including carbon fiber as well as maintenance
and support for the fighter jets.
�This is a comprehensive proposal presently in the process of deep
discussions (with the Turkish authorities),� Bertolone told
reporters in Florence. �Our impression is that the SSM [Turkey's
defense procurement office] are favorable to this industrial
participation proposal.�
If it went ahead, Bertolone said, the proposal will allow the
Turkish Air Force to gain �operational independence� -- the ability
to autonomously maintain its fighter fleet. �It is our opinion that
Turkey's local industry is well-developed, and prepared for
ambitious hi-tech tasks,� Bertolone said. �Turkey qualifies to
emerge as the operational support center for the Typhoon.�
He said if Turkey became the group's fifth partner, it would be
tasked with promoting the fighter in �countries with which it has
friendly relations,� like Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
�The Eurofighter consortium believes that Turkey, with its advanced
aviation industry, fulfils all the requirements to become a partner
of the group,� Bertolone said. Partnership in the group, he said,
would mean having access to source codes and other critical
technology.
Asked if he agreed that Ankara would be discouraged from joining
the European partnership if Turkey faced major problems in its
accession talks with the European Union later this year, Bertolone
said that although political unity was one of the essential
ingredients of the idea to build a European fighter, �politics
should not mask the industrial, military and technological benefits
of the program.� �Let's be optimistic,� he said. �Europe's history
is full of examples that illustrate political unity went parallel
to cooperation in aviation.�
Earlier this year, Turkey launched a competition for the
procurement of 120 new generation fighters. Recently, Eurofighter's
cross-Atlantic rival in the contest, the multinational Joint Strike
Fighter (JSF) group led by Lockheed Martin -- the world's biggest
defense firm -- that builds the F-35, proposed a package of over $4
billion for Turkey's defense industry.
Turkey is a partner of the JSF group, and has invested $175 million
for its development phase. Turkey's top procurement officials have
repeatedly said that Turkey will either choose between the F-35 and
the Typhoon, or go for a combination of both aircraft to meet its
future fighter/strike requirements. For example, Murad Bayar,
Turkey's chief procurement official, has said that by the end of
2006 Turkey will decide �whether to go for the F-35 only, the
Eurofighter only, or both.�
Defense analysts view the F-35 as a �perfect striker,� a �future�
aircraft designed for mainly air-to-ground missions, and the
Typhoon as a solid fighter for mainly air-to-air missions.
�Ideally, a country should possess both aircraft if, of course, it
has the means to afford them from both a procurement and a
maintenance point of view,� a Rome-based defense analyst said. �I
am not sure if Turkey's finances are strong enough to support this
idea.� Britain and Italy have decided to keep both aircraft in
their fleet.
Last December, the Typhoon became fully operational in the Italian
Air Force and has so far gone through over 1,600 flying hours. The
first Typhoon had arrived in Italy's Grosseto air base in April
2005.
A demo flight at the Grosseto base showed that the Typhoon is up
and running and defending Italian skies. The Typhoon fleet at
Grosseto is ready to take to the air in 15 minutes around the
clock. The aircraft are used for air defense, surveillance,
training and reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The aircraft
will soon be deployed for NATO-led missions in Afghanistan.
The Eurofighter program's first tranche foresees the manufacturing
of 142 aircraft for its four partners: Britain, Germany, Italy and
Spain. Its second tranche will cover 236 aircraft for the partner
nations plus 18 aircraft for Austria. Recently, the Eurofighter
consortium penned a deal with Saudi Arabia for the sale of an
unknown number of the Typhoon -- industry sources say the deal
involves around 100 aircraft.
Eurofighter officials say if Turkey joined the partnership earliest
deliveries for the Turkish Air Force could be scheduled for 2010.
Analysts say deliveries under the JSF program would not begin
before 2014.
�The Typhoon could be a multi-purpose move for the Turks,� the same
defense analyst said. �It can be a stop-gap solution, boost the
local industry and complete the F-35 for a fully deterrent air
force.�
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