Turkish Firm Wins $491.5 Million Deal Under Sikorsky-Led Utility Helicopter Program

Turkey's defense firm, Aselsan announced today a $491.5 million deal with Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), prime local contractor for the Sikorsky-led utility helicopter program estimated $3.5 billion signed on February 21.

Aselsan officials were quoted as saying by Defense News that the contract requires the company to do critical work including a new glass cockpit, multifunction displays, flight management system, moving map system, inertial navigation system, GPS, identify friend-or-foe system, advanced radios and a self-protection system.

The Turkey-US utility helicopter contract is for the co-production of an initial batch of 109 helicopters, but with follow-on orders, more than 600 platforms could be built at a cost of more than $20 billion, according to the report.

In 2011, Turkey had selected Sikorsky as its partner company to lead production of the country’s next-generation utility helicopters. Sikorsky defeated Italian-British AgustaWestland by bidding its T-70, the Turkish version of its S-70 Black Hawk International.

The S-70 Black Hawk International is used by dozens of militaries, including Turkey. AgustaWestland was competing with its TUHP 149, the Turkish version of its newly developed A-149.

Most helicopters in the first batch will go to the military, with the Gendarmerie receiving the largest portion, and the Army, Navy, Air Force and the special forces command each getting their share. The remaining machines will go to the Security Directorate, meaning the police forces, and to the Firefighting Department, the report added.