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March 11, 2014

Turkey gets cold feet for HQ-9 missile deal with China

Pic http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chinese_S-300_launcher.jpg

HQ-9s are paraded in the second half of the video below

Turkey’s defense procurement bureaucracy and industry are increasingly showing signs of developing cold feet over a potential $3.44 billion deal with a Chinese arms maker -China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corp (CPMIEC) – for the construction of the country’s first long-range air and anti-missile system.

Some of the Turkish companies that would be subcontracted for the air defense system program named T-LORAMIDS, are skeptical about potential corporate consequences because CPMIEC is on a U.S. list of companies that are sanctioned under the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act.

Military electronics specialist Aselsan, Turkey’s biggest defense firm, has been designated as the program’s prime local subcontractor has become increasingly cautious about the partnership.Turkey has come under strong pressure from its NATO allies since it announced its decision over the T-LORAMIDS. Ankara said it had chosen CPMIEC’s FD-2000 missile-defense system over rival offers from Franco-Italian Eurosam SAMP/T and Raytheon of the United States. It said the decision was based on better price and better terms of technology transfer.