US embassy cable - 04ANKARA2111

C O N F I D E N T I A L ANKARA 002111 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/07/2014 
TAGS: MARR, MASS, PREL, ETTC, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY EAGER TO OPERATIONALIZE SPACE COOPERATION 
 
REF: DAO ANKARA 1723 (DTG 231112 MAR 04) 
 
 
(U) Classified by Pol-Mil Counselor Timothy Betts, reasons 
1.4, b/d. 
 
 
1. (C) Summary: PolMilOff met with Turkish Air Force (TUAF) 
Col. Yavuz Goker April 7 to discuss the status of US-Turkey 
space cooperation.  Goker said the TUAF had decided what it 
needed in a space program and was now considering how to get 
there.  He outlined Turkey's goals in the field of space but 
noted that operationalizing the US-Turkey partnership would 
be necessary to make the pending US-TU Agreement 
"meaningful."  End Summary. 
 
 
2. (C) Turkish Air Force Colonel Yavuz Goker told PolMilOff 
April 7 that he was pleased with the progress Turkey had made 
in the last three years on enhancing Turkey's space program. 
Specifically the GOT had drafted a law establishing a space 
agency within the TUAF that was almost ready to go to 
Parliament, drafted a National Space Policy, and drafted a 
Military Space Concept.  GEN Firtina, Commander of the TUAF, 
was eager to sign the US-TU Space Agreement, which Goker 
understood could complete its congressional notification 
process in Washington as early as May 10.  Nevertheless, the 
GOT understood the agreement was merely a framework for 
cooperation and was therefore somewhat disappointed that 
there were no operational activities included and very little 
assistance from the US promised.  Goker said he hoped to 
persuade his leadership that the agreement was "worthwhile" 
with tangible cooperative projects in the near future. 
 
 
3. (C) Goker outlined Turkey's priorities in space in the 
following order: 
-- Optical Camera Remote Sensing -- he noted the GOT could 
start by receiving images from US satellites, then graduate 
to a cooperative satellite project, then develop its own 
domestic capacity; 
-- SAR Remote Sensing; 
-- X-Band or EHF Communication Satellites (Turkey's current 
communications systems are expected to last until 2010, so 
this is not a priority until then); 
-- Satellite Early Warning Systems. 
 
 
4. (C) Goker said Turkey's first priority toward achieving 
the above capabilities was training.  He noted that 3-4 
trainees per year for one- to six-month courses would provide 
Turkey's fledgling space agency a good foundation.  However, 
he had recently been informed that the long-term training at 
US military institutions in which TUAF was interested was not 
available to foreigners.  Goker said that if the only US 
training available to TUAF was at universities, he didn't see 
the need to cooperate with the USG on this, because anyone 
could register and attend if they paid the required fees. 
Unless the decision was reversed, TUAF would not seek any 
training in the US.  (Note: The specific courses TUAF wants 
are US-only.  TUAF has the option of having the courses 
tailored to their needs but this option is cost prohibitive. 
End Note.) 
 
 
5. (C) Goker reiterated throughout the meeting that Turkey 
was keen to cooperate primarily with the US, although offers 
from India, Russia, and Israel (all of which were less 
expensive) were also received.  He envisioned a Joint Strike 
Fighter-type buy-in program in which Turkey could co-develop 
and eventually co-use satellites, not to have just one 
satellite but to build up its own domestic capabilities over 
the long term.  Turkey awaited a list of planned US projects 
that it might be able to buy in to.  Goker hoped that Turkey 
would not have to resort to working with countries other than 
the US on such projects. 
 
 
6. (C) Goker said putting a Turkish astronaut in space was a 
low priority in the TUAF Military Space Concept Paper.  As a 
matter of national pride, they had included it as a long-term 
goal.  They understood from NASA that there would be no space 
for a Turkish astronaut until at least 2014, which Goker 
believed gave Turkey plenty of time to select and train 
Turkish pilots. 
 
 
7. (C) Comment: Goker is pleased with the progress of 
Turkey's space program and realizes that cooperation with any 
other country besides the US would be "second tier." 
Nevertheless, the TUAF is concerned that the US commitment to 
cooperation with Turkey might be flaccid.  Proposals for 
co-development projects with Turkey would go a long way 
toward keeping the Turkish space program firmly in the US 
corner. 
EDELMAN