Turkish defense companies to be subcontractors of AWACS project

The AWACS planes use extensive radar, navigation and friend-or-foe identification systems which exceed the capabilities of ground-based computers.
Turkish Aerospace Industry (TAI), Aselsan, Havelsan, Marconi-Selenia, Netas, and Turkish Airlines will also take part in the project as subcontractors, said Anatolia news agency.
The project will not burden the budget and economic program, that will be financed from the Defense Industry Support Fund.
Primary work for the first aircraft will be completed at Boeing’s facilities in the U.S. with the attendance of TAI’s technical staff.
Turkey has long sought to buy the radar-tracking planes as part of a modernization program. But the purchase gained increased urgency during the Iraq war, when NATO deployed four AWACS from Germany to protect Turkey from a possible Iraqi attack.
The value of the deal is expected to be around $1.5 billion. Turkish and U.S. officials have been negotiating the sale since 2001.