US embassy cable - 05ANKARA6315

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ANKARA 006315 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
 
E.O.  12958:  N/A 
TAGS: MARR, MOPS, PREL, PTER, TU 
SUBJECT: TURKEY: POL-MIL ROUND-UP, SEPTEMBER 2005 
 
REFERENCE: A) ANKARA 3892, B) 2004 ANKARA 6000 
 
(Note: This is one of the regular series of unclassified 
reports on significant Turkish defense and national security 
issues in the press and other open sources.  We welcome 
feedback on whether these reports are useful.  End note) 
 
Contents 
-------- 
 
-- 7th International Defense Industry Fair in Ankara 
-- Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries 
-- Defense Industry Activity 
 
7th International Defense Industry Fair in Ankara 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
1. The 7th International Defense Industry Fair (IDEF - the 
bi-annual Turkish defense fair) was held on September 27-30 
in Ankara.  Four hundred thirty-one companies from 52 
countries participated in the fair.  Twenty-one American 
companies had stands in IDEF: Boeing, Bren-Tronics, CPS, 
EOTECH, Harris Corp, Herley Industries, Hoover Industries, 
KVH Industries, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, 
Rockwell Collins, Symetrics Industries, Tooele Army Depot, 
United Technologies, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky and American 
Turkish Council (ATC).  Companies from Bangladesh, Chile, 
Egypt, Finland, Greece, India, Iran, Ireland, Jordan, 
Scotland, South Africa, South Korea and Tatarstan 
participated in the IDEF for the first time.  Many high 
level officials from different countries visited IDEF, 
including 8 defense ministers (Azerbaijan, Moldova, UK, 
Italy, Congo, Pakistan, Morocco and Chile), 4 deputy defense 
ministers (Bosnia, Malaysia, Ukraine and Greece), 3 Chiefs 
of General Staff (Qatar, Kyrgyzstan and Moldova) and 4 
undersecretaries (Germany, Croatia, Pakistan and Italy). 
Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul received official and 
unofficial visitors in an office dedicated to him in the 
fair area during the course of IDEF. 
 
2. Turkish Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) 
signed contracts with total value of close to 1 billion USD 
during IDEF.  American companies signed the following 
contracts: 
 
- Northrop Grumman Corp signed a cooperation agreement of 
$820K with the Turkish Kalekalip Defense Aviation company 
for the production of MESA radar and integral identification 
and IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) by Kalekalip. 
- Northrop Grumman signed a contract with Turkish Mikes for 
the production of power-conditioning electronics for the 
early design phases of Northrop Grumman's CNI avionics 
system (Communications, Navigations and Identification.) 
- Pratt and Whitney and Turkish Alp Aviation signed a 
contract for the purchase of components for the F-135 engine 
in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). 
- Pratt and Whitney and Kalekalip Defense Aviation signed a 
purchase order for critical hardware of the F135 engine for 
the JSF. 
- Turkish Hema Industry signed a cooperation agreement with 
CPS, Textron, the Finish Patria and British Horstman. 
- Colt Defense signed a contract with the Turkish Sarsilmaz 
Co to produce M4 infantry weapons in Duzce/Turkey. 
 
 
3. Eurofighter used IDEF to further its campaign to convince 
Turkey to select the Typhoon in place of/in addition to the 
F35 JSF as part of the Turkish Air Forces modernization 
program.  At a Sept. 26 press conference, Giovanni Bertolone 
(Alenia Aeronautic CEO) confirmed an invitation to Turkey to 
become the 5th Eurofighter partner for the manufacture of 
parts for the aircraft and for the development of new 
technologies. 
 
Turkey's Security Relations with Other Countries 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
4. Congo: Turkey and the Republic of the Congo signed on 
Sept. 28 a "Framework Agreement on Military Training, 
Technical & Scientific Cooperation" and an "Agreement on 
Military Training".  Turkey has signed similar agreements 
with 46 countries. 
5. South Korea: Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul met 
with South Korea's National Defense Minister  Kwang-Woong 
Yoon on September 2 (The semi-governmental Anatolian News 
Agency). 
6. Albania: Turkey signed an agreement on TAF assistance  to 
the Albanian Army on September 6.  As reported by the 
Anatolian News Agency in late September, Turkey donated 
military equipment and supplies worth 1.3 million USD to the 
Albanian Army. 
 
7. Netherlands: TGS CHOD General Hilmi Ozkok met with Dutch 
Defense Chief of Staff General Dick Berlijn in Ankara on 
September 21.  No information on the subject of their 
meeting was made  public. 
 
8. Chile: On the occasion of the Chilean Defense Minister's 
visit to IDEF, Turkey and Chile signed an agreement to open 
military attach offices in both countries.  Turkey will 
also start training Chilean F16 pilots in 2006 (The English 
News Anatolian). 
 
Defense Industry Activity 
------------------------- 
 
9. Sikorsky's Vice President Joseph Gigantelli stated that 
Sikorsky considers Turkey an anchor country for Black Hawk 
helicopters.  Indicating that Sikorsky intends to bid on the 
52 helicopter tender (32 for the Turkish Armed Forces and 20 
for the Forestry Service) announced by the Undersecretariat 
for Defense Industries (SSM), Gigantelli suggested that, if 
Sikorsky wins the tender, it would launch joint production 
of the Black Hawk helicopters in Turkey together with the 
Turkish company TAI (Tusas Aerospace Industries)(center-left 
daily Radikal). 
 
10. Aselsan signed a USD 500K contract with TAF (Turkish 
Armed Forces) for the manufacture of electronic war systems 
for 281 helicopters and 2 cargo planes in the TAF's 
inventory. (centrist daily Milliyet). 
 
11. Roketsan's General Manager Huseyin Baysak announced that 
Roketsan has developed the capability to produce all types 
of long-range missiles.  Roketsan was the first company to 
provide TAF with long-range anti-tank missiles and is 
developing long-range plans to provide the full range of 
missiles to the TAF (leftist daily Cumhuriyet). 
 
12. Aselsan obtained a certificate of proficiency for its 
`Volkan protection system,' which was developed for 
electronic modernization of the TAF-owned Leopard-1 tanks 
(leftist daily Cumhuriyet). 
 
13. TAI signed two protocols with SSM for `Conceptual Design 
Studies toward Development of a Primary and Basic Training 
Aircraft' and `Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Platform 
Development'. 
 
 
MCELDOWNEY