Turkey To Purchase Four Awacs Planes From Boeing

WASHINGTON D.C. (A.A) - 04.06.2002 - The contract on an airborne warning and control system AWACS aircraft project was signed on Tuesday.
The project is worth of 1.1 billion U.S. dollars.
Sources told A.A correspondent that Defense Industry Undersecretary officials and representatives of U.S. Boeing company signed the contract.
Under the contract, Turkey will purchase four 737 type AWACS aircrafts from Boeing.
Turkey will have the option to increase the number of aircrafts to be purchased to six.
Patrick Gill, the deputy chairman of Boeing company responsible for AWACS, told A.A corresondent that they expected the contract to be ratified by the U.S. congress and take effect till fall.
AWACS project will be financed by Defense Industry Promotion Fund and thus, it will not cause any burden on Turkey's national budget and economic programme.
Aircrafts are expected to be delivered to Turkey within two or three years.
Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) and Havelsan will take part in production of aircraft.