ANKARA, Turkey — Pakistan and Turkey Military deal worth $1.5 billion for30 Attack Helicopters lands in big trouble from United States.
Pakistan has extended the deadline for Turkish Aerospace Industries todeliver 30 T129 helicopter gunships on order, amid U.S. reluctancelinktogrant Turkey technology export licenses.
With the American move now seriously jeopardizing the sale, the Turkishgovernment has tasked Tusas Engine Industries, TAI’s sister company, withdeveloping an indigenous engine for the T129.
“Pakistan has agreed to give us another year [to resolve the problem].
We hope we will be able to develop our indigenous engine soon to power theT129,” Ismail Demir, the head of Turkey’s top procurement agency, said Jan.6. “After one year, Pakistan may be satisfied with the level of progress inour engine program, or the U.S. may grant us the export license.”
In 2018, TAI signed a $1.5 billion agreement to sell a batch of 30 T129helos to Pakistan. However, the company needs to secure U.S. exportlicenses for any export deal with a third country. TAI produces the 5-tonattack helicopter, which is based on its predecessor, the A129 Mangusta.
The T129 is a twin-engine multirole attack helicopter produced underlicense from the Italian-British company AgustaWestland.
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It’s powered by two LHTEC T800-4A turboshaft engines. Each engine canproduce 1,014 kilowatts of output power. The T800-4A is an export versionof the CTS800 engine. LHTEC, the maker of the engine, is a joint venturebetween the American firm Honeywell and the British company Rolls-Royce.
A procurement source told Defense News on Jan. 10 that Pakistan is alsolobbying the U.S. to support the deal.
But U.S. diplomatic sources in Ankara said it’s unlikely Washington willissue the license given the cold nature of U.S.-Turkish defense procurementties. The U.S. last year suspended Turkey’s membership in the multinationalJoint Strike Fighter program in response to Turkey’s acquisition of theRussian-made S-400 air defense system.Sign up for our Early Bird BriefGet the defense industry’s most comprehensive news and information straightto your inboxSubscribe
But industry sources warn that any successful engine development programwould take at least five to 10 years.
TAI recently delivered its 56th helicopter gunshiplinktothe Turkish military.
