Turkey has chosen an Israeli company to modernize some 300 helicopters in its air force under a multi-million-dollar contract which was to be signed in Ankara on Friday, a defense industry official said.
The 110-million-dollar (euro) project, awarded to the state-owned Israeli Military Industries (IMI), involves the installation of electronic warfare systems on board the helicopters, including laser, missile warning systems and jammers, the official told AFP.
Turkey's state-owned ASELSAN firm will work on the project with IMI as a co-contractor, she said, and added that Turkish and Israeli officials were scheduled to sign off on the deal in the Turkish capital on Friday.
The helicopter deal is the second defense contract predominantly Muslim but strictly secular Turkey has awarded to the Jewish state this year. In March, IMI was chosen to upgrade 170 US-made M-60 tanks under a contract worth an estimated 670 million dollars.
The decision had attracted a wave of criticism at home, especially from Islamist opposition parties, and calls for the deal to be scrapped due to Israel's military operations against the Palestinian people.
Turkey has been Israel's chief regional ally since 1996 when the two countries reached a military cooperation accord, much to the anger of most Arab nations and Iran. (Albawaba.com)
© 2002 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
