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Last update - 06:05 18/05/2009
Turkey may cancel Israel drone deal over missed deadlines
By Zvi Bar'el
Tags: drone, elbit, turkey 

The Turkish Defense Ministry is considering canceling the purchase of 10 Israeli-made attack drones because the Israel Aerospace Industry and Elbit have missed deadlines, it said.

The $185 million deal for the Heron unmanned aerial vehicles was signed in 2005. IAI and Elbit were supposed to deliver the drones a year ago.

Turkey decided to purchase from Israel after the U.S. refused to sell it similar equipment, saying it feared the drones would be used on Kurdish rebels.
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According to Turkish military sources quoted in the local press, the Israeli firms complained that the Turkish contractor, Aslan, was responsible for the delays.

IAI told Haaretz that the main problem was the camera developed by the Turkish contractor. The camera was too heavy, and prevented the drone from reaching an altitude of 30,000 feet, in keeping with the project prospectus.

Turkish counterclaims hold that the Israeli firms are coming up with technical excuses in order to avoid fines for violating the agreement.

A source at the Turkish Defense Ministry told Haaretz on Sunday that the Israeli companies were aware how much the camera weighed and the problems that this could cause, but had promised that "this would not be a problem."

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      1.   Let them eat cake 06:40  |  Oy Vey 18/05/09
      2.   fine, no sale, don`t call us, we`ll call you 06:41  |  b. moskowitz 18/05/09
      3.   I guess Syria and Iran don`t need any more drones 07:18  |  Jon 18/05/09
      4.   Jon#3 08:55  |  Robert 18/05/09
      5.   turkey 09:18  |  roger 18/05/09
      6.   So, this bird won`t fly? 09:19  |  Johnboy 18/05/09
      7.   #3 What secrets would those be, Jon? 09:27  |  Johnboy 18/05/09
      8.   Drones to Turkey. 09:31  |  David Nigel Braham 18/05/09
      9.   Good 09:42  |  Ethan 18/05/09
      10.   See the True hatred of Israelis for Turks 10:38  |  Erda Kazez 18/05/09
      11.   This is GREAT news... Now the tourism to Turkey 10:47  |  Ben 18/05/09
      12.   Heavy cameras, or heavy politics. 11:15  |  Stephen. 18/05/09
      13.   hate 11:59  |  Ian 18/05/09
      14.   No Problem! Maybe China might want some... 14:57  |  The Archives 18/05/09
      15.   Anyone read the article? 15:17  |  Ali 18/05/09
      16.   possible 15:25  |  Dan 18/05/09
      17.   Turkey may cancel 16:00  |  Roger 18/05/09
      18.   Correction: Turkey already operates US made UAV`s 16:51  |  Berk 18/05/09
      19.   U.S & Turkey 17:48  |  Saloman 18/05/09
      20.   Berk; I am not sure you are correct. 18:57  |  David Israel 18/05/09
      21.   # 9 roger 19:10  |  Axel 18/05/09
      22.   Drop Turkey 20:50  |  Brod 18/05/09
      23.   # 14 david 21:51  |  Axel 18/05/09
      24.   Axel - If you are insinuating you are wrong 22:25  |  David Israel 18/05/09
      25.   To my friend David #14 09:25  |  Berk 19/05/09
      26.   Turkey may cancel AXEL 09:30  |  Roger 19/05/09
      27.   Turkey has already developed its own UAV 09:43  |  Berk 19/05/09
      28.   # 18 roger 10:40  |  Axel 19/05/09
      29.   Also 23:51  |  Ali 19/05/09
      30.   Re: "What Israel will do if they had similar problem ??" 23:54  |  Miron 31/05/09
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