|
|
 After postponement of final decision day for multi-billion dollar ATAK project on March 6th, the contenders increase their pressure over governmental and military officials before selection. Due to the fact of raising tendency in SSM officials for political selection of one US and one European bidder as "second short-list" for contraction
negotiations, high-rank visits of contenders to Ankara has increased for lobby activities. The relaxed
behaviors of Ankara about previously desired "export guarantee" is giving rise to chance of US contenders. However, receiving of export guarantee letters was completed on Feb 14 and only Russia forwarded desired letter among the all contenders.
It is previously and unofficially known from military officials that there are three important candidates for final "two bidder-short list": Bell AH-1Z, Agusta A-129I and
Kamov/IAI-Elta Ka-50-2T. There are less chance for other two contenders: Boeing AH-64D, unlike it is most powerful and well-known gunship in the market, has high cost, weight and fly problems and some undesired electronic weakness. Other participant, Eurocopter
Tigre, is strongly affected by political conflicts between Germany-France and Turkey, as well as its lack of HellFire and NT-D firing capability, and higher cost.
Among the three favored bidders, Bell AH-1Z is the top priority gunship due to its advanced and composite-weighted design, enhanced electronic hardware, suitable engine, wide range of
weapon capacity, well-known flying and logistic features by Turkish Land Forces
(TLF) and lower purchase-flying and
maintenance cost. There will be also big chance of TLF that existing Cobra and Super Cobra fleet can be integrated with modernization by off-set statements to new ATAK choppers if the winner is King Cobra. The Bell and United States Marine Corps (USMC) has strongly emphasized "three King Cobras will fly on June under the program of re-production of 180 AH-1Z Zulu for USMC. Therefore, the speculations at the media -like campaign of paper-chopper: King Cobra- will be ended" to Ankara.
Second candidate, "International Mangusta" will most probably be used against US contender for European Union
(EU)'s nominee. Although the light and less-sophisticated Mangusta had least chance in the initial stage of the ATAK tender, after the decreasing chance of Tigre gave politically priority to the
Mangusta. The cheaper Mangusta has five-blade pales,
US-engines and Israeli-electronics (especially new NTS-A). It can also carry three missiles
-HellFire, NT-D and TOW-II-, which all are being
evaluated in ATAK project. Italian Minister of Foreign Trade, Piero Fassino is discussing the possible sale of Mangusta to Turkey in Ankara.
The only export guaranteed bidder, Ka-50-2T Erdogan, will be selected automatically
as ATAK winner, if Turkey not announced final short-list and use "export guarantee" statement. After sophisticated and "Turkish" campaign, the cheapest candidate became
favored with Israeli-lobby. Fully-colored and digital Elta cockpit, HMOSP fire-control system, new
cabloge, NT-D missiles, GIAT gun and newly-designed tandem-seat configuration gave Erdogan to NATO
standards. However, the composite material-deficient design, Russian spare parts, weight problems and co-axial rotors are important
disadvantages of the war-experienced chopper.
Meanwhile, SSM stated the TAI, main contractor, and Aselsan, main sub-contractor, to re-evaluate and drop to the cost of production.
Click to return the ATAK News Headlines
|