This post is also available in:
עברית (Hebrew)
Italy in many ways has taken the place of Israel in the Turkish defense market.
Alenia Aermacchi has signed an agreement with the SSM, the Turkish Under Secretariat for Defense Industries to deliver two ATR 72-600 TMUA (Turkish Maritime Utility Aircraft) and six ATR 72-600 TMPA (Turkish Maritime Patrol Aircraft) to the Turkish Navy. The contract calls for strong industrial collaboration between Alenia Aermacchi and Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI) for the duration of the project.
The Turkish Navy will obtain the last generation ATR72-600 equipped with a glass cockpit as well as more powerful engines that guarantee best performance and supportability for the next 30 years.
The two ATR 72-600TMUA–already in the modification phase at Alenia Aermacchi’s plant in Naples will be used by the Turkish Navy for personnel and cargo transport and will be delivered in June and July 2013.
The six ATR 72-600TMPA are designed as multi-role assets to satisfy the Turkish Navy maritime patrol requirement. The aircraft, named Meltem 3 in Turkey, will see the integration of the Thales AMASCOS mission system and will include new functionalities such as AIS, Link 16 and the last generation weapon systems, like the Mk 54 Light Weight Torpedo.
The AMASCOS (Airborne Maritime Situation & Control System) mission system relies on multiple sensors to detect, identify and track threats, maintain real-time tactical situation awareness, manage NATO and national tactical data links and deploy onboard weapon systems.
Before the severance of the defense relations between Turkey and Israel, the Turkish navy showed great interest in aircraft equipped with Israeli systems.
