Tag: defence imports

  • Senate does not approve free frigates for Turkey

    Senate does not approve free frigates for Turkey

    Despite the best efforts of Ankara’s allies in Washington during the final hours of the Congressional session, the U.S. Senate refused to act Wednesday on a free give-away of advanced American naval vessels to Turkey. Earlier this week, the House had approved the controversial measure, following a contentious debate, reported the Armenian National Committee of America.

    “We join with our Greek American friends in thanking Congressmen Engel, Sherman, Bilirakis, and Sarbanes for opposing this controversial measure giving away two guided missile frigates to an increasingly arrogant and antagonistic Turkey, and welcome the Senate’s decision to block efforts to ‘fast-track’ passage of this controversial measure in the final hours of the 112th Congress,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. “This most recent setback for Turkey reflects the growing bipartisan understanding on both sides of Capitol Hill about the real price America is paying for Turkey’s growing hostility to U.S. interests and allies. Ankara’s failure is yet another signal that the era of Turkey’s having a blank-check in Washington is over.”

    In a letter circulated earlier this week on Capitol Hill, the ANCA stressed that: “Such a transfer would materially strengthen Ankara’s naval capabilities at a time when it is using its maritime fleet to aggressively challenge the right of Cyprus to explore its off-shore energy resources, and is seeking to obstruct the ability of Greece to protect its territorial waters.” The ANCA also emphasized that: “Transferring these vessels would also send a dangerous signal to Turkey’s leaders that our government endorses its military occupation of Cyprus, its increasingly belligerent stance toward Israel, its blockade of Armenia, its meddling in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution process, or, for that matter, its violations against the rights of Christians, Kurds, and other minorities.” The letter closed by noting that: “Such material rewards and moral endorsements are neither warranted, nor constructive. In fact, they will work against our nation’s regional security interests.” The American Hellenic Institute, Hellenic American Leadership Council, and other Greek American groups also weighed in against the transfer.

    The U.S. House, on December 31st, considered this transfer as part of H.R.6649, a measure added to the “Suspension Calendar” under expedited procedures requiring a two thirds vote. The House adopted H.R.6649 after considerable debate, including a defense of the legislation by Rep. Ros-Lehtinen and statements in opposition from Representatives Eliot Engel (D-NY), the incoming Ranking Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and Brad Sherman (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), and John Sarbanes (D-MD). The absence of Senate action at the end of the 112th Congress will mean that any legislation authorizing such a transfer will need to be re-introduced for consideration by the 113th Congress.

    Congressman Brad Sherman, a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, opposed H.R.6649 both on its merits and on the process being used to secure its consideration in the final hours of the Congressional session, noting: “Woodrow Wilson noted that Congress in committee is Congress at work. Congress ignoring the committee process is a Congress that doesn’t work. This bill has not been the subject of hearing and, more importantly, a markup in the Foreign Affairs Committee. And in the dead of night, provisions to transfer two frigates to Turkey, a controversial provision, was added to this otherwise innocuous bill… Send this bill back to committee. Let us have a real discussion. Let us follow the rules, not suspend the rules, when we’re dealing with a matter of this importance to our foreign policy in the eastern Mediterranean.”

    Congressman Engel, in his remarks, stressed: “Some people say this should continue because, after all, Turkey is an ally and we need to help them. Well, I look at it the other way. They’re a NATO ally, so they have responsibility. And the way they’re acting has been anything but responsible. This is not an inconsequential or trivial matter.”

    Representative Sarbanes, in his comments, remarked that: “This is not a non-controversial bill. I know it’s being brought here on suspension as though it is, and I’m sure in the past when we’ve had these transfers of vessels, excess defense materials and so forth, often that is a non-controversial action to take. In this case, it’s anything but non-controversial, and I’m surprised, frankly, that the majority would bring the bill to the floor in this form.”

    In his remarks, Rep. Bilirakis explained his opposition to H.R.6649, noting that: “the Turkish navy, as recently as last year, held naval live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean. These provocative exercises took place near the natural gas fields of Israel and the Republic of Cyprus and threatened to disrupt peaceful and productive economic activity. Instead, Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that, in the eastern Mediterranean, Congress will continue to work to foster the relationships between the United States, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus in order to promote and foster issues of mutual, economic, and diplomatic importance.”

    Congressional scrutiny of the proposed transfer of advanced naval vessels, which are described by the U.S. Navy as having been designed, among other missions, to support and protect amphibious landing forces, was heightened by Turkey’s record of aggression in neighboring littoral areas, most notably its 1974 invasion and ongoing military occupation of Cyprus, as well as its false claims to sovereign Greek islands in the Aegean Sea, and its regular incursions into both Greek and Cypriot territorial waters.

  • Turkey wants to buy Russian defense system: Voice of Russia

    Turkey wants to buy Russian defense system: Voice of Russia

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    © Flickr.com/openDemocracy/cc-by-sa 3.0

    Turkey is considering the purchase Russia’s S-400 Triumf anti-aircraft weapon system amid growing tensions in the region. According to local media, Turkey’s government is choosing between Russia’s S-400, US Patriot missile defense system, China’s FD 2000 system and French-Italian Eurosam SAMP/T.

    Russia’s system is capable of combating all existing types of strategic offensive weapons, including missiles with the ground speed of 5,000 m/s, AWACS planes and reconnaissance-strike systems.

    Interfax

    via Turkey wants to buy Russian defense system: Voice of Russia.

  • Report: Turkey to buy $4b long-range missile system

    Report: Turkey to buy $4b long-range missile system

    In response to regional tensions, Turkey is looking to buy new air defense missile system, daily Zaman reports.

    By DPA and Haaretz

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    Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses members of his party at the parliament in Ankara, June 12, 2012. Photo by AFP

    Turkey clarifies: Trade sanctions against Israel include only defense industry

    By Haaretz and Barak Ravid

    Jun.13,2012 | 1:40 PM | 58

    Turkey’s suspension of trade with Israel is a double-edged sword

    By Yossi Melman | Jun.13,2012 | 1:40 PM | 14

    Erdogan to Obama: Israel risks losing its best friend in Middle East

    By Haaretz Service | Jun.13,2012 | 1:40 PM

    Turkey is planning to spend 4 billion dollars on a new long-range air defense missile system, in response to increasing regional tensions, the pro-government daily Zaman reported Wednesday.

    According to the report, four systems are under consideration: The US PAC-3 Patriot missile system, Russia’s S400, China’s FD2000 and the SAMP-T missile produced by the French Italian consortium Eurosam.

    A decision on which system Turkey will buy is due to be made at a meeting of the Defence Industry Committee chaired by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which is scheduled for July 4.

    According to Zaman, the decision to buy a long-range missile system was taken because of the increased deployment of similar long-range systems throughout the region.

    In September, Turkey declared it will suspend all defense industry ties with Israel, after the the diplomatic relations between the two countries were downgraded.

    The decision was seen as part of a series of penalizing measures against Israel over the latter’s refusal to apologize for killing nine Turkish nationals on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in 2010.

    via Report: Turkey to buy $4b long-range missile system – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.

  • Turkey will soon announce $4 billion missile defense decision

    Turkey will soon announce $4 billion missile defense decision

    From Umit Enginsoy and Burak Ege Bekdil, Defense News: The long-range air and missile defense system, worth more than $4 billion, has attracted companies from China, Europe, Russia and the U.S. . . .

    France mod 6 11 12 missile defense.preview

    The presence of Russian and Chinese competitors for the missile system has drawn security concerns from some NATO allies.

    Turkey’s Defense Industry Executive Committee will meet in early July, probably July 4, on the selections and is expected to announce decisions or at least a shorter list.

    Competitors in the air and missile defense system include: U.S. partners Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, with their Patriot-based system; Eurosam with its SAMP/T Aster 30; Russia’s Rosoboronexport, marketing the country’s S-300 and S-400 systems; and China’s CPMIEC (China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp.), offering its HQ-9.

    Eurosam’s shareholders include MBDA — jointly owned by British BAE Systems, Italian Finmeccanica and pan-European EADS — and France’s Thales. These companies will work with Turkish partners. . . .

    One Western expert countered: “If, say, the Chinese win the competition, their systems will be in interaction, directly or indirectly, with NATO’s intelligence systems, and this may lead to the leak of critical NATO information to the Chinese, albeit inadvertently. So this is dangerous. . . .”

    This marks the first time NATO has strongly urged Turkey against choosing the non-Western systems.

    “One explanation is that Turkey itself doesn’t plan to select the Chinese or Russian alternatives eventually but still is retaining them among their options to put pressure on the Americans and the Europeans to curb their prices,” the Western expert said.

    Turkey’s national air and missile defense program is independent from NATO’s own plans to design, develop and build a collective missile shield. (photo: French Ministry of Defense)

    via Turkey will soon announce $4 billion missile defense decision | Atlantic Council.

  • Israel Cancels Military Contract With Turkey to Supply Aerial System

    Israel Cancels Military Contract With Turkey to Supply Aerial System

    Israel Cancels Military Contract With Turkey to Supply Aerial System

    By ISABEL KERSHNER

    JERUSALEM — The Israeli government has canceled a $141 million contract to supply Turkey with an advanced aerial intelligence system, Israeli officials confirmed on Friday. The move appeared to reflect a profound reassessment of strategic ties with Turkey, a former ally, months after Turkey downgraded diplomatic relations with Israel.

    The reason, one official said, was that given Turkey’s shifting allegiances in a turbulent region, Israel feared that the delicate technology could end up in the hands of hostile governments, like Iran.

    The contract, between the Israeli military companies that developed the product and the Turkish military, was signed two years ago when relations were not as chilly as they are now, but the first delivery of equipment was due only now. Israel’s Ministry of Defense, which issues the export licenses for all such deliveries, decided on Thursday to stop the deal.

    There was no immediate comment from the Turkish side on the Israeli cancellation of the contract. The decision was most likely taken after broader consultation within the Israeli government, according to an Israeli military industries official. He spoke on the condition of anonymity in order to be able to express himself more freely.

    The Ministry of Defense said in a statement that it “does not usually delineate the particular information or considerations that form the basis of its defense export-policy decisions.”

    The statement said such decisions “are taken in a professional manner and in accordance with the specific diplomatic and security considerations.”

    But apparently in an attempt to prevent further deterioration in Israeli-Turkish relations, Israeli security officials added that the decision was directly related to the specific system in question, and not the overall relationship between the two countries. They said that those relations were extremely important to Israel and that Israel was working to improve them.

    The new equipment that Israel was supposed to supply to Turkey is an optic system based on radar technology that can be installed under the wings of aircraft and give a clear picture of what is happening on the ground in all weather conditions, day or night. It was developed by subsidiaries of Israel Aerospace Industries and of Elbit Systems, which trades on the Nasdaq and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.

    Turkey, a member of NATO, once ranked as Israel’s closest ally in the Muslim world. Ties between the two countries’ militaries and military industries were particularly strong.

    Relations began to sour after Israel’s three-week war against Hamas in Gaza in the winter of 2008-9. They reached a crisis point in May 2010 when an Israeli commando raid on a Turkish protest boat, part of an international flotilla challenging Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza, led to clashes during which eight Turks and an American of Turkish descent were killed.

    In September, after Israel refused to apologize for the deaths, Turkey downgraded diplomatic relations to the lowest level and expelled the Israeli ambassador. Turkey’s foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, said at the time that all military agreements had been suspended. The contract just canceled by Israel was the last outstanding one since the deterioration of ties.

    Several senior Israeli officials, including the defense minister, Ehud Barak, have indicated support for the idea of apologizing to Turkey. But they also argue that Turkey’s shift toward the Arab world and efforts to become a major regional player make it unlikely that relations with Israel would go back to being as close as they once were.

    The Israeli military industries official said that despite Turkish declarations about cutting all military ties, working relations between the Israeli military industry and the Turkish military were good until Thursday. But Israel has been reluctant to send technical teams to Turkey to provide service under previous contracts. In some cases, Turkey has sent equipment to Israel for repairs.

    A version of this article appeared in print on December 24, 2011, on page A6 of the New York edition with the headline: Israel Cancels Military Contract With Turkey to Supply Aerial System.

    via Israel Cancels Military Contract With Turkey to Supply Aerial System – NYTimes.com.

  • NATO warns Turkey against buying Chinese, Russian air defense systems

    NATO warns Turkey against buying Chinese, Russian air defense systems

    ÜMİT ENGİNSOY

    ANKARA- Hürriyet Daily News

    A strategic missile Topol-M makes an impressive entry into Red Square during the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, 2011. The Western alliance is encouraging Turkey not to choose Chinese or Russian tenders in an upcoming air defense bid.
    A strategic missile Topol-M makes an impressive entry into Red Square during the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, 2011. The Western alliance is encouraging Turkey not to choose Chinese or Russian tenders in an upcoming air defense bid.

    NATO may avoid sharing ballistic missiles intelligence with Turkey if the nation decides to buy Chinese or Russian systems for its missile defense program

    A strategic missile Topol-M makes an impressive entry into Red Square during the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, 2011. The Western alliance is encouraging Turkey not to choose Chinese or Russian tenders in an upcoming air defense bid.

    A strategic missile Topol-M makes an impressive entry into Red Square during the Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, 2011. The Western alliance is encouraging Turkey not to choose Chinese or Russian tenders in an upcoming air defense bid.

    Ankara would have to operate without NATO’s intelligence information on incoming ballistic missiles if it chooses to buy Chinese or Russian systems for its national air and missile defense program, officials of the Western alliance have warned Turkey.

    Participating in the ongoing competition to win Turkey’s national air and missile contract are the U.S. partnership between Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, with their Patriot air defense systems; Russia’s Rosoboronexport, marketing the S300; China’s CPMIEC (China Precision Machinery Export-Import Corp.), offering its HQ-9; and the Italian-French Eurosam, maker of the SAMP/T Aster 30. Turkey is planning to make its selection late this year or early next year.

    Many Western officials and experts say that since the Russian and the Chinese systems are not compatible with NATO systems, their potential eventual victory might provide them with access to classified NATO information, and as a result may compromise NATO’s procedures.

    But despite this criticism, Turkey so far has ruled against expelling the Chinese and Russian options, saying there is no need to exclude them from the Turkish competition.

    One Western expert countered that “if, say, the Chinese win the competition, their systems will be in interaction, directly or indirectly, with NATO’s intelligence systems, and this may lead to the leak of critical NATO information to the Chinese, albeit inadvertently. So this is dangerous.”

    “NATO won’t let that happen,” another Western official told the Hürriyet Daily News on Monday. “If the Chinese or the Russians win the Turkish contest, their systems will have to work separately. They won’t be linked to NATO information systems.”

    This was the first time NATO has strongly urged Turkey against choosing the non-Western systems.

    “One explanation is that Turkey itself doesn’t plan to [ultimately] select the Chinese or Russian alternatives, but still is retaining them among their options to put pressure on the Americans and the Europeans to [lower] their prices,” the Western expert said.

    Turkey’s long-range air and missile defense systems program (T-Loramids) has been designed to counter both enemy aircraft and missiles.

    NATO missile shield

    Turkey’s national program is totally separate and independent from NATO’s own plans to design, develop and build its own collective missile shield.

    The Western alliance decided during a leaders’ summit meeting in Lisbon in November last year to create the collective missile shield against potential incoming ballistic missiles from rogue countries. Ankara agreed to the decision only after the alliance accepted a Turkish request that Iran or other countries would not be specifically mentioned as potential sources of threats.

    NATO now is seeking to deploy a special X-band radar in Turkish territory for the early detection of missiles launched from the region.

    Senior U.S. and Turkish officials discussed the matter in mid-July in Istanbul on the sidelines of a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and both sides reported progress toward an eventual deployment of the X-band radar on Turkish soil.

    Ideally, in the event of a launch of a ballistic missile from a rogue state, it would be detected by the X-band radar, and U.S.-made SM-3 interceptors – based on U.S. Aegis destroyers to be deployed in the eastern Mediterranean and later possibly in Romania – would then be fired to hit the incoming missile mid-flight.

    via NATO warns Turkey against buying Chinese, Russian air defense systems – Hurriyet Daily News.