Turkey strengthen defense ties with South Korea

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Defense ties between Turkey and South Korea are beingstrengthened and that causes concern in Israel.

Ankara has confirmed that the country will go ahead with a planned purchase of 15 KT-1T basic trainer aircraft from South Korea.

According to Defense News, Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said the government decided to buy a follow-on order of 15 KT-1Ts as a stop-gap solution to meet its trainer aircraft needs.

He said a Turkish program for the design, development and production of an indigenous basic trainer aircraft, the Hurkus, would progress as planned.

“We have concluded that we need the KT-1Ts until Hurkus’ development phase has been completed,” Yilmaz said.

The first Hurkus is expected to be delivered to the Turkish military by 2018. Meanwhile, Turkey plans to inaugurate this year a multinational military flight training center. Both trainer aircrafts will be used at the planned center after 2018. But KT-1Ts are expected to arrive earlier.

Turkey has signed an agreement with the Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) for an initial batch of 10 Hurkus aircraft.

But Ankara also decided to go for an approximately $150 million deal with the Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) for 15 KT-1Ts. In 2007, Turkey and KAI signed a contract for the sale of an initial batch of 40 KT-1Ts, with an option for 15 more.

The industry widely views the Turkish move to buy new KT-1Ts as a sign of mistrust in TAI’s delivery schedule.

Four years ago Israel selected an Italian advanced trainer aircraft the M-346 and not the T-50 made in South Korea .The selection angered the South Koreans and according to Israeli sources that “anger is still there”.