ANKARA - Turkish Armed Forces will be able to gather its own intel through surveillance by Gokturk Electro-Optical (EO) Reconnaissance and Surveillance Satellite System after it enters into service.
Murad Bayar, Undersecretary of Defence Industries told A.A that the Gokturk project would be concluded in three months the latest, on Sunday.
According to info posted on the website of Undersecretariat for Defense Industries(SSM), the project aims the procurement of a satellite system in line with technological cooperation, joint development and joint usage principles in order to meet the requirements of acquisition of high resolution imagery for military intelligence from any place in the world without any geographical restriction.
Gokturk will also be used for monitoring civilian activities such as control of forest land, tracking of illegal construction, determination of damage after natural disasters within a short time, zone crop determination, geographical map data production.
The project also aims to furnish the national industry facilities with the capability of designing, integrating satellite systems and running tests for it, here in Turkey.
Turkish defence industry companies and research centers, namely TUSAS Aerospace Industries Co., ASELSAN and Technological and Scientific Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) will participate in all phases of the project.
The project consists of the construction of an Electro-Optic satellites system --which will be put into orbit--, a fixed land based station and a mobile land station.
Gokturk which will be capable of detecting the movements of objects even smaller than 1 square meter will help prevent terrorists infiltrating into Turkish borders.
Eads Astrium (UK), IAI (Israel), OHB-System (Germany), Telespazio (Italy) are bidders that had submitted offer for the project which is in the proposal evaluation process.
The project is expected to cost around 200mn USD.