ANKARA, Jan 16 (KUNA) — Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said Monday the United States was reluctant to share with his country the defense technology relating to the sophisticated multi-purpose F-35 fighter jets, the fifth generation.
“During my recent visit to the US I asked about defense technology transfer to Turkey, but the US officials said abruptly and openly that we were their rival,” the minister said.
He made the press remarks while opening a school in Ilgin town, Konya province, central Turkey.
Yilmas attributed the US reluctance to share the military hi-tech to the fact that the US, as the world’s major economy, is one of Turkey’s rivals, the same as Germany and France.
Turkey plans to acquire 100 F-35 fighters in the coming ten years at a total value of USD 16 billion to replace the dating F-16 fighters.
Turkey is reportedly in talks with the US to acquire the software code of the remote control system of the fighters before buying two aircraft for training in 2015 as a prelude to a huge deal.
Undersecretary of the Turkish Defense Industries Murad Bayar has recently said Turkey is notinterested in acquiring all the codes, but just those that are the most essential for the plane’s freedom of operation. (end) mm.gb KUNA 162304 Jan 12NNNN
via KUNA : Turkey criticizes US hesitation to transfer defense technology – Military and Security – 16/01/2012.
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