Industry News
$750m Turkish helicopter contest starts Lale Sariibrahimoglu JDW Correspondent Ankara
Turkey is seeking to acquire 64 general utility helicopters for its armed forces, gendarmerie and the Directorate General of Forestry in a procurement worth about USD750 million.
Turkey's Defence Industries Undersecretariat (SSM) issued a request for proposals (RfP) on 4 July for 52 helicopters, while the Gendarmerie General Command has already separately issued an RfP for 12 smaller types of general utility helicopters.
The 4 July RfP is for 20 utility helicopters for the Turkish Land Forces Command, six for the Turkish Navy Forces Command, six combat search and rescue helicopters for the Turkish Air Forces Command and 20 firefighting helicopters for the Directorate General of Forestry.
Maximum local content is required in the project and the deadline for responses to the RfP is 5 December 2005.
Europe's NH Industries, which is 62.5 per cent Eurocopter owned, and Sikorsky of the US have already purchased RfPs. NH Industries is expected to compete with NH90 helicopters but Franco-German Eurocopter may bid its Cougar since Turkey already operates 34 AS 532 Cougar variants.
Sikorsky is expected to compete its Black Hawk S-70A and has already offered to move its S-70A production line from the US to Turkey; Turkey already operates 91 S-70As.
Eurocopter may try to sweeten its bid by offering Turkey the opportunity to take a stake in the European conglomerate. Spain, which bought 28 Tiger attack helicopters from Eurocopter, has now become a shareholder in the company.
Turkish defence industry officials have not ruled out the possibility of Turkey purchasing aircraft from both Sikorsky and either Eurocopter or NH Industries in order to balance its relations with both Europe and the US.
26 July 2005
Colombia and Thailand are seeking to buy UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress last week.
Colombia's request was the larger of the two, with a price tag of up to $100 million for eight Black Hawks and related equipment such as tools, repair and spare parts and other support equipment, DSCA said. Sikorsky Aircraft and General Electric would be the principal contractors for the deal.
The DSCA said the sale would help Colombia protect itself and added that "these helicopters will be used to pinpoint and destroy narco-terrorists identified and operating within Colombia."
The DSCA also mentioned anti-drug efforts as part of Thailand's request for two Black Hawks and related equipment.
However, the main reason for the sale is to provide the lift capability that was found lacking in the aftermath of the December 2004 tsunami that devastated parts of the country.
Thailand's request could be worth up to $46 million for two Black Hawks, personnel training, training equipment and contractor engineering. Sikorsky Aircraft would be the prime contractor for the deal. Thailand's bid would require eight U.S. contractor representatives for two weeks, and one field service representative for up to two years in Thailand. Colombia's request would not require the assignment of U.S. government or contractor representatives to that country.
The DSCA assured Congress that neither sale would affect U.S. defense readiness or upset the balance of power in either region.
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