Turkey’s Aselsan signs long-range defense system deal

ANKARA

Turkish defense electronics company Aselsan said on Jan. 16 it had signed, along with Roketsan, TÜBİTAK SAGE business partnership, an accord for a national long-range defense system project for the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM).

It said in a statement to the Istanbul stock exchange that Aselsan’s share under the agreement was 869 million liras ($227 million) and 279.3 million euros ($342 million) and that the deliveries will be completed in 2021.

Meanwhile, Turkey has awarded Eurosam, Aselsan and Roketsan a contract for the definition study of the future Turkish long-range air and missile defense system. The contract award was made during the meeting of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Jan. 5.

Scheduled to last 18 months, the definition study aims at preparing the development and production contract for the future system meeting the operational requirements of the Turkish Air Force, according to a follow-up press release.

The contract was awarded by the SSM, jointly to Aselsan and Roketsan, and to the Franco-Italian consortium Eurosam, backed by its two shareholders MBDA and Thales.