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 Turkey's
defense minister said on
Feb 11 a contract thought to be worth $4 billion to buy attack and reconnaissance helicopters would be
finalized this month.
Defense Minister Sebahattin Cakmakoglu also told the NTV television channel
that Turkey plans to eventually buy 145 attack helicopters. The bidding firms
are Italy's Agusta, Bell Helicopter Textron, Boeing, French -German Eurocopter and
Kamov-A from Russia.
Military analysts say the assault helicopters are Turkey's most potent weapon against separatist Kurdish guerrillas, but vetoes from the U.S.
congress have prevented Ankara adding to the less than a dozen Super Cobra
they already have.
No clear leader has emerged in the helicopter tender. The Italian bid was
briefly threatened with exclusion during a row between the two countries in
1998 over Italy's refusal to hand over Kurdish rebel chief Abdullah Ocalan
after briefly detaining him in Rome.
Ocalan is now on Turkey's death row, facing hanging for treason and Turkey
has repaired its dealings with Rome. (NTV)
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