Behemoths of the defense industry, including Italian, Russian, French, Chinese, US and Israeli companies, are vying for the $4 billion dollar tender by which Turkey will acquire long-range missile defense systems; however, due to problems in bilateral relations, French and Israeli companies do not seem likely to win the contract.
Turkey is planning to purchase four long-range missile defense systems capable of destroying missile threats before entering Turkish airspace. As Russian and Chinese companies did not file a bid for the Turkish Long Range Air and Missile Defense System (T-LORAMIDS) tender, the dateline for bid submission was extended until Dec. 1, 2009. However, at the end of 2010, the tender has still not been completed and it will be held within the first three months of 2011.
Turkey decided to acquire long-range missile defense systems in 2008, but the project was postponed due to NATO’s missile defense system project.
Turkish officials thought that the country would not need another defense system if NATO installed its system in Turkey. However, during the Lisbon Summit, NATO decided only to install radar systems in Turkey so Turkey sped up its efforts to establish its own missile defense system.
Italian company weakened by French
Americans plan to offer Patriots, the Russians S-400s, the Chinese FD-2000s and the French-Italian joint venture Eurosam SAMP/Ts for the tendered long-range missile defense system. Eurosam’s Italian partner MBDA promises to do technology transfers with Turkey if they win the contract.
The Italian company even assures Turkey that it will be able produce and sell missiles under its license terms, thanks to this technology transfer. They also claim that their missile defense system can be easily integrated with NATO’s defense systems.
The newly developed system that Eurosam is offering to sell is also used by the UK, Italy and France. Under this system, all missiles can be launched within 10 minutes after a target is determined. Eurosam consists of the French Thales and the Italian and French MBDA companies. However, Turkey has adopted a principled stance to prevent French companies from winning tenders in Turkey. The Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM) is cool to the Italian company’s attractive offer because of its French partner.
Italian company trying hard
The Italians are aware that their French partner will make it hard for them to win the tender so they have made an additional offer. They say that they will lend their support for Turkey’s full membership in the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR), where Turkey currently enjoys observer status.
OCCAR is considered the most influential organization in weapons procurement and sales. Some countries, including Germany, long ago stopped selling heavy weapons to Turkey, citing the country’s counterterrorism efforts. Turkey believes that its membership in this organization will help to lift this embargo.
Russian Rosoboronexport, which manufactures the S-300 missiles currently possessed by Greece and Greek Cyprus, is planning to offer S-400s, which are more advanced forms of S-300s, to Turkey. Turkey, however, has security concerns about these systems as they are also possessed by Greece and Greek Cypriots. Moreover, the Russian company has not made any promises regarding joint production.
In addition, the Italian company claims that the Russian S-400 system and the Chinese FD-2000 system are not compatible with NATO standards.
The disadvantage of PAC-3
The Patriot PAC-3 system, produced by the US firm Raytheon, is the latest US offering for a medium and long-range guided air defense system. PAC-3s are considered the improved versions of the Patriots — used during the Gulf War — and PAC-2s.
In this system, a 73-kilogram cluster and explosive warhead hits and destroys the targeted missile. Turkey is attracted by the fact that this system can be integrated with the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. However, the US administration is not keen on the idea of technology transfer with Patriots, and this certainly makes it difficult for Turkey to make a decision.
Although it was scheduled for December, the long-range missile defense system tender, it seems, will be postponed to early 2011 due to the array of attractive proposals as well as intensive lobbying efforts from the countries involved. Thus, the tender will likely conclude within the first three months of 2011.
Turkey is planning to install the defense systems in four different regions and may add two additional systems if need be. However, it is said that Turkey wants these two systems to be produced jointly. Of the four systems to be installed in the Turkish territories by 2012, Ankara and İstanbul will each have one, while the locations for the remaining two systems remain confidential. There are speculations that one may be installed in eastern Anatolia while the other may be placed in a coastal city in the Mediterranean region.
No chance for Israel
Turkish-Israeli relations, strained to a great extent when Israel killed eight Turkish citizens and one Turkish-American in a raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, are making things hard for Israeli companies. The Israeli weapons companies will have to just sit and watch the $4 billion contract, as they are aware that they cannot bid for the tender.
Accordingly, it is the Israeli weapons manufacturing companies that most desire the quick recovery of Turkish-Israeli relations. In the event of such a recovery, experts note, Israel’s ARROW 3 missiles may stand a good chance of winning the contract.
South African Denel, too, shows interest in the long-range missile defense system. However, this company does not have much chance in the tender. Thus, a competition is expected between US, Russian, Chinese and Italian firms, while the Italian firm, in making good offers to Turkey, seems to have a slightly better chance.
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