Türkiye's Defense Industry Undersecretary Murad Bayar announced Tuesday that the executive committee meeting expected later that month would resolve the tender for the ATAK attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopter program. A review of joint strike fighter (JSF) options was also scheduled for the same session.
Bayar said several additional programs would come before the committee, including the Turna surveillance and reconnaissance helicopter project for the Gendarmerie, a national tank initiative, and a national warship program whose main propulsion system could be taken up at the next executive meeting.
On the industrial side, Bayar said work was continuing on establishing Defense Technologies Holding A.S., a single umbrella structure for the defense sector, with activity expected to accelerate in coming months.
Bayar noted that Türkiye had awarded domestic companies development contracts totaling roughly 2 billion USD, citing the Stinger project as one example. The country has also manufactured and exported coastal security vessels through a domestic shipyard.
In the space domain, Bayar said Türkiye planned to launch an international tender for observation satellites needed by the armed forces. A separate satellite is to be jointly designed and built by TAI and TUBITAK entirely within Türkiye.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.