Latest Problem in Turkish-US Defense Relations: FMS

摘要

The contract negotiations for a $2-billion deal between Turkey and US helicopter company Bell Helicopter-Textron, Inc. (Ft. Worth, TX), have gone into a deadlock after a letter exchange between two high-ranking government officials. In response to a letter from the director of the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) declaring that the sales of the AH-1Z helicopters can only be permitted via foreign-military-sales (FMS) channels, the Turkey's Undersecretary of Defence Industries replied that this would have a negative impact both on the helicopter program currently in contract negotiations, as well as all other common projects. As a result of the Turkish letter of June 29, the contract negotiations of nearly one year between the Under-secreteriat for Defence Industries (SSM) and Bell have been halted.