Turkey signs deal to buy training aircraft from Pakistan

ISTANBUL

Turkey inked an agreement to buy a total of 52 initial training aircraft from Pakistan, the country’s defense industry authority said in a statement on May 10. 

According a statement by the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), Turkey will buy 52 Super Mushshak aircraft from Pakistan’s Aeronautical Complex-Kamra to be used instead of T-41s and SF-260s in the inventory. 

With this deal, this will be a first for NATO country and the new aircraft will be used for training purposes. 
The Defense Industry Executive Committee decided to start negotiations with the Pakistani company in its meeting on Aug. 22, 2016, after it had examined the submitted offers. 

“The contract negotiations were completed and the agreement was signed at the IDEF 2017,” read the statement. 

The MFI-17 Mushshak (The Proficient) is a light-weight, robust, two/three seats, single engine, predominantly all metal aircraft with tricycle fixed landing gear, according to company website. 

The Super Mushshak (The Agile) advanced avionics is an upgraded version of Mushshak fitted with a more powerful engine, cockpit air-conditioning, electrical instruments, and electric-cum-manual elevator and rudder trim.

Turkey’s defense company STM signed a memorandum of understanding to sell four “Ada” class corvettes, which were developed under the framework of Turkey’s MİLGEM project to Pakistan, according to another statement released by the SSM on May 10. 

The MİLGEM project, from the Turkish words Milli Gemi (National Ship), is a national warship program with the aim to design and build locally a fleet of hi-tech stealth multipurpose corvettes and frigates that will replace older ships that are currently in service. 

The MoU was signed between STM and the Karachi Shipyard (KS&EW), and the corvettes will used by the Pakistan Naval Forces, according to the statement. 

The final agreement is expected to be inked on June 30, it added.