*ANKARA – The raging diplomatic spat between Turkey and America could leadto the suspension of a $1.5 billion deal between Turkey and Pakistan forthe sale of 30 Turkish-made T129 ATAK helicopter gunships.*

“The problem is related with the US-made parts for which Turkish AerospaceIndustries [TAI] will need US export licenses in order to materialize thedeal,” a Turkish aerospace official said, quoted US-based media outlet *DefenseNews*.

The T129 ATAK helicopter gunships is being produced by TAI under licensefrom the Italian-British company AgustaWestland. “The problem is relatedwith the US-made parts for which TAI will need US export licenses in orderto materialize the deal,” stated a Turkish aerospace official.

“Apparently, we shall need US export licenses to go ahead with the T129deal,” a senior procurement official said. “This is not a technological orfinancial matter but is purely political at the moment.”

In July, Turkey and Pakistan signed an agreement on the sale of 30 TurkishT129 attack helicopters in what will be the biggest export deal of theTurkish defence industry. The deal encompasses the provision of logistics,spare parts, training and ammunition for the helicopters, which were to bedelivered gradually over five years.

Meanwhile, a Turkish defense official said that Washington should not‘punish Pakistan for their disagreements with Turkey’.

“This is a commercial deal [with Pakistan] with a country that has friendlyrelations with America. For Washington what matters should be the recipientof the systems, not who produces it and if relations are bumpy with theproducer country,” the Turkish defense official said.

Earlier on Monday, the Government of Pakistan come out in support of Turkeyover the country’s recent economic crisis, after the Turkish currency hit arecord low of more than 7 to the US dollar.

The US sanctioned two Turkish officials in a spat over the continueddetention of an American pastor in Turkey, and doubled tariffs on Turkishsteel last week.