Aselsan Wins $1B Turkish Air Defense Contract

Turkey’s largest defense company, Aselsan, has penned a 721 million euro ($1 billion) contract to sell low- and medium-altitude air defense systems to the Turkish military. This is the largest contract awarded to a local company this year.

Aselsan said in a written statement that the deal was signed June 21 between the company and the country’s arms procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM). Aselsan’s prime subcontractor is another state-owned defense company, missile specialist Roketsan. Both companies are based here.

Under the contract, Aselsan will develop all radar, fire control, command-and-control and communication systems for both the low-level and medium-altitude components of the program, the statement said. Missile heads and data links also will be developed by Aselsan.

“The Turkish military will own an up-to-date technology and effective air defense system. Developing and producing the systems in Turkey will provide savings in costs,” the statement said.

Aselsan said the low-altitude contract is worth 471 million euros, and the medium-altitude contract is worth 250 million euros.

Turkey’s ultimate decision-maker on procurement, the Defense Industry Executive Committee, authorized the SSM to open contract negotiations with Aselsan about a year ago.

Separately, U.S., Italian, French, Russian and Chinese companies are vying for Turkey’s multibillion-dollar program for long-range, medium- and high-altitude air and missile defense systems.

By BURAK EGE BEKDIL and UMIT ENGINSOY