ANKARA (A.A) - 11.04.2002 - National Defense Minister Sabahattin Cakmakoglu said on Thursday that Turkey will modernize 792 tanks with the technology which will be obtained as a result of the modernization of M-60 tanks by an Israeli company.
Cakmakoglu spoke about the modernization of M-60 tanks after opposition parliamentarians brought the issue onto the agenda in the parliament.
Cakmakoglu pointed out that they wanted the Turkish defense industry to produce all its own needs, and noted that Turkey has the ability to make tank modernization. He said modernization of Leopard tanks were given to ASELSAN and Machinary and Chemical Industry (MKE).
Recalling that some of the M-60 tanks were more than 33 years old, Cakmakoglu said modernization of M-60 tanks were given to the Israeli company as there was not such a technology in Turkey.
Cakmakoglu said some firms created problems regarding the exportation licence and that some others put forward some conditions, noting that modernization of the tanks were given to the Israeli company to make Turkish Armed Forces to obtain the technology it needed.
Cakmakoglu said 792 other tanks, apart from 170 M-60 tanks, would be modernized, stressing that, ''Turkey will modernize 792 tanks with the technology which will be obtained as a result of the modernization of M-60 tanks by an Israeli company.''
Critizing that modernization of the tanks was considered as bidding, Cakmakoglu said the decision was taken by Defense Executive Committee headed by Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit.
Cakmakoglu said, ''I understand the timing of the criticisms,'' noting that a country like Turkey, which is strong in its region, needs some weapons to make its armed forces deterrent.