Turkey awards missile system study contract
Turkey has awarded a contract to Eurosam, Aselsan and Roketsan to jointly conduct a definition study of Turkey's future long-range air and missile defence system, Eurosam announced on 5 January.
The 18-month definition study aims to prepare the development and production contract for the future system meeting the operational requirements of the Turkish Air Force.
The contract follows on from the Heads of Agreement signed by industry on 14 July 2017 and the Letter Of Intent signed by the French, Italian and Turkish defence ministers on 8 November 2017.
This definition study paves the way for the launch of a three-country joint Long Range Air and Missile Defence programme. The future system is expected be ready by the middle of the next decade with the ability to counter threats such as stealth aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, cruise missiles and ballistic missiles.
The system is expected to meet three countries’ basic operational needs and will guarantee Turkey has full employment autonomy and will allow a sovereign choice of integration level within NATO. The joint development activity is expected to support Turkey’s indigeneous air and missile development programme in addition to opening up prospects for exports and longer-term cooperation of Turkey, Italy and France.
More from Land Warfare
-
Paris Air Show 2025: MBDA bets on carmaker to help make new one-way effector
The One-Way Effector (OWE) is a ground-launched missile or drome designed to act as a swarm to overwhelm air defence systems. It was displayed for the first time in Paris this week.
-
UK artillery factory opens as defence review inches forward
The new artillery and howitzer factory pre-dates the emphasis on this capability from this month’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The first joint industry-government meeting outlined in the review took place this week.
-
Refresh of Romanian army vehicles speeds up
Romania received its first Cobra MkII 4×4 light tactical armoured vehicles, ordered Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) and VAMTAC light vehicles, and is set to invest billions-of-dollars in infantry fighting vehicles.
-
Italy begins hunt for Puma replacement
The Italian Army operates Pumas in 6×6 and 4×4 configurations but the platforms are ageing and numbers have fallen with obsolescence also being an issue. Any replacement is likely to have a focus on the involvement of local industry.
-
Orders roll in for VAMTAC tactical vehicles as first is delivered to New Zealand
The VAMTAC (Vehículo de Alta Movilidad Táctico or High Mobility Tactical Vehicle) 4×4 by Urovesa is in service with or has been ordered by eight countries, the most recent being Spain this month and Romania last month.
-
Precision Strike Missile engine successfully tested from M270A2 launcher
Lockheed Martin’s Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) is a next-generation surface-to-surface missile with the solid rocket motor (SRM) provided by Northrop Grumman. The company is working to boost its SRM production capability.