Turkish generals plan to meet this week to make a final decision on a joint project with an American firm to make software for anti-armor attack helicopters, a move which has run into US government opposition, reported the Turkish Daily News.
The Turkish effort to develop software to gain full control over a system to be installed on AH 1Z King Cobra attack helicopters, which Turkey has been negotiating to co-produce with US Bell-Textron, continues to face US resistance.
According to the daily, US officials say Washington supports the Turkish desire for self-sufficiency but insists on Ankara using the baseline mission computer developed by Northrop Grumman and used by the US Navy.
A warning issued to Turkey on August 15 in a letter sent to the Turkish General Staff by Washington was followed by talks held in Ankara on August 23-24 with the participation of Turkish and US senior officers, as well as defense industry experts.
The Turkish-US strategic alliance dates back to 1964, when the US warship Missouri arrived in Istanbul at the beginning of the Cold War, according to MERIA journal.
The only remaining major US/NATO military base in Turkey of strategic and military significance is the one in Incirlik, not far from the Syrian border. This base, as well as other Turkish air force bases, played a pivotal role during attacks on Iraq during the Gulf crisis.
The no-fly zone in northern Iraq continues to be enforced from Incirlik. But not every US attack on Iraqi targets is allowed from there. In February 1998, Turkey refused the United States the use of the base to compel Iraq to cooperate with UN arms inspectors – Albawaba.com
