Bluezoo
02-14-2005, 04:01 PM
Turkey Seeks Bids in Attack Helicopter Contest
By BURAK EGE BEKDIL, ANKARA
http://defensenews.com/story.php?F=658499&C=europe
Turkey’s procurement office has released a requests for proposal (RfP) document that formally launches international competition for the country’s largest single defense contract: a deal for the purchase of a batch of 91 tactical/reconnaissance attack helicopters.
The Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, or Savunma Sanayi Mustesarligi (SSM) in Turkish, reported on its Web site that the RfP was released Feb. 10. Bidders are requested to make their proposals no later than June 10, according to the Web site.
Ankara expects contenders from Europe and the United States to make bids for an off-the-shelf purchase of helicopters. But some industry sources say Turkey’s insistence on developing an indigenous mission computer for the helicopter gunships may prevent two top U.S. contractors — Chicago-based Boeing and Bell Helicopter Textron, Fort Worth, Texas — from competing.
An SSM official familiar with the program said Ankara hopes a number of international contractors will enter the contest. These include Boeing, maker of the AH-64D Apache Longbow; Bell Helicopter Textron, maker of the AH-1Z; EADS subsidiary Eurocopter, Marignane, France, maker of the Tiger; Agusta, Cascina Costa, Italy, maker of the Mangusta A129; and Moscow-based Moscow Helicopter Plant, maker of the Mi-28 Havoc.
Turkey originally launched the program in 1995 and chose Bell Helicopter Textron to build the attack helicopters. The U.S. manufacturer’s offers ranged from developing an indigenous Turkish gunship to jointly manufacturing a U.S. Marine Corps version of the AH-1Z, and from a purchase under a U.S. Foreign Military Sales scheme to direct delivery of a small number of helicopters.
After years of on-and-off talks with the company, however, Turkey last year cancelled the program, announcing that it would launch a fresh contest.
By BURAK EGE BEKDIL, ANKARA
http://defensenews.com/story.php?F=658499&C=europe
Turkey’s procurement office has released a requests for proposal (RfP) document that formally launches international competition for the country’s largest single defense contract: a deal for the purchase of a batch of 91 tactical/reconnaissance attack helicopters.
The Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, or Savunma Sanayi Mustesarligi (SSM) in Turkish, reported on its Web site that the RfP was released Feb. 10. Bidders are requested to make their proposals no later than June 10, according to the Web site.
Ankara expects contenders from Europe and the United States to make bids for an off-the-shelf purchase of helicopters. But some industry sources say Turkey’s insistence on developing an indigenous mission computer for the helicopter gunships may prevent two top U.S. contractors — Chicago-based Boeing and Bell Helicopter Textron, Fort Worth, Texas — from competing.
An SSM official familiar with the program said Ankara hopes a number of international contractors will enter the contest. These include Boeing, maker of the AH-64D Apache Longbow; Bell Helicopter Textron, maker of the AH-1Z; EADS subsidiary Eurocopter, Marignane, France, maker of the Tiger; Agusta, Cascina Costa, Italy, maker of the Mangusta A129; and Moscow-based Moscow Helicopter Plant, maker of the Mi-28 Havoc.
Turkey originally launched the program in 1995 and chose Bell Helicopter Textron to build the attack helicopters. The U.S. manufacturer’s offers ranged from developing an indigenous Turkish gunship to jointly manufacturing a U.S. Marine Corps version of the AH-1Z, and from a purchase under a U.S. Foreign Military Sales scheme to direct delivery of a small number of helicopters.
After years of on-and-off talks with the company, however, Turkey last year cancelled the program, announcing that it would launch a fresh contest.