Camera downs drone deal
Güncelleme Tarihi:
by Fulya Özerkan
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 22, 2009 00:00
ANKARA -Turkey's insistence on installing Turkish cameras into 10 Israeli-made attack drones in order to develop the local defense industry has caused a deadlock in deliveries, leading to technical problems.
"Turkish cameras were installed into the drones at the request of the Turkish side, but they were much heavier than the original Israeli cameras, causing problems with the altitude and the [flight] time," a source familiar with the developments told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. "There is an ongoing dialogue between the defense industries to resolve this problem."
The government wants to develop local industry by encouraging the use of Turkish-made components in current and future defense acquisitions.
The Israeli cameras originally installed in the drones are said to be much lighter, and thus able to fly at higher altitudes while consuming less gasoline. After the Turkish cameras were installed, the Turkish side was not satisfied with the aircraft, as it was not operating up to its expected capacity, said the source.
The Turkish Defense Ministry is considering canceling the purchase because the Israeli Aerospace Industry, or IAI, and Elbit Systems, which produces the Herons, have missed deadlines, Israeli-based reports claimed. Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül, however, said Wednesday, "There was no cancellation, but an examination is under way." The $185-million deal for the Heron unmanned aerial vehicles was signed in 2005. IAI and Elbit were scheduled to deliver the drones a year ago, when Gönül went to Israel to speed up the acquisitions.
The source told the Daily News that Israel had loaned some drones from its army, equipped with the original Israeli cameras, to Turkey two or three months ago to meet Turkey's urgent need in its fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, based in northern Iraq. But Turkey was not satisfied with these drones' performance either. This time, Turkey wants the drones it will purchase to be completely Turkish in order to contribute to its own defense industry. Defense Industry Undersecretary Murad Bayar said Wednesday that four of the 10 drones would be delivered in August. "Heron contractors are asking for time and we welcome this to meet the need of the Armed Forces," he told reporters.
The government wants to develop local industry by encouraging the use of Turkish-made components in current and future defense acquisitions.
The Israeli cameras originally installed in the drones are said to be much lighter, and thus able to fly at higher altitudes while consuming less gasoline. After the Turkish cameras were installed, the Turkish side was not satisfied with the aircraft, as it was not operating up to its expected capacity, said the source.
The Turkish Defense Ministry is considering canceling the purchase because the Israeli Aerospace Industry, or IAI, and Elbit Systems, which produces the Herons, have missed deadlines, Israeli-based reports claimed. Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül, however, said Wednesday, "There was no cancellation, but an examination is under way." The $185-million deal for the Heron unmanned aerial vehicles was signed in 2005. IAI and Elbit were scheduled to deliver the drones a year ago, when Gönül went to Israel to speed up the acquisitions.
The source told the Daily News that Israel had loaned some drones from its army, equipped with the original Israeli cameras, to Turkey two or three months ago to meet Turkey's urgent need in its fight against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, based in northern Iraq. But Turkey was not satisfied with these drones' performance either. This time, Turkey wants the drones it will purchase to be completely Turkish in order to contribute to its own defense industry. Defense Industry Undersecretary Murad Bayar said Wednesday that four of the 10 drones would be delivered in August. "Heron contractors are asking for time and we welcome this to meet the need of the Armed Forces," he told reporters.