Defence & Security News - Turkey

Chinese-made FD-2000 air defense missile system

Turkey has extended the validity of bids in a multi-billion dollar missile defense system tender for the second time despite having provisionally awarded the deal to China, a senior Turkish defense official said.

Turkey’s NATO allies voiced concern when it said in September it had chosen China’s FD-2000 missile defence system over rival offers from Franco-Italian Eurosam and U.S.-listed Raytheon Co. It said China offered the most competitive terms and would allow co-production in Turkey.

The bidders comprise a partnership of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, makers of the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 system, and the European group Eurosam, maker of the SAMP Aster 30 missile. The official said the bids from Eurosam and Raytheon, which was due to expire on April 30, would be extended for a further two months.

“Their bids will be valid until June 30,” the official said, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

In September, Turkey said it selected China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corp. (CPMIEC) to build the system. CPMIEC’s bid was priced at $3.44 billion, according to Murad Bayar, then-Turkey’s top procurement official.

Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Patriot PAC-3 air defense missile system

Eurosam/MBDA SAMP Aster 30 air defense missile system.