Turkey’s MİLGEM to build military ships for Pakistan
The MİLGEM project, carried out jointly by Turkey’s Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM) and the Turkish Naval Forces, is a landmark project that developed the country’s first corvette-class warship.
The STM defense company is working on the MİLGEM project. Speaking to Turkish journalists yesterday in Karachi, which is currently hosting the fifth International Defense Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2008, Savaş Onur, a retired admiral who is currently the MİLGEM project manager, said the fair has been a very good opportunity for Turkish defense companies to promote their projects. “We also display MİLGEM here, which is one of the most important projects Turkey has produced in the past few years.”
Onur said the project was of a scale that would have a long-term impact on the Turkish shipbuilding and defense industries. “Pakistan needs more ships like this.
We are planning to carry out a joint project with Pakistan for these corvettes.”
Onur said that more than 50 Turkish firms -- including the largest defense firms, Aselsan, Havelsan and STM -- have played a role in the MİLGEM project, gaining invaluable experience in warship building.
He said the three defense firms have
merged forces to supply Pakistan’s demand for corvette ships. “This is a four ship corvette project. The first ship will be designed and built in Turkey, while the three others will be built in Pakistan’s military shipyards. This is really a comprehensive project. It is expected to last 10 years,” he said.
He noted that Turkey has had talks with Pakistan about this project for nearly two years. “We can say that we are reaching an agreement. I think we will realize the project successfully. The Turkish defense industry has the capacity to manage such projects.”
29 November 2008, Saturday
TODAY’S ZAMAN WITH WIRES İSTANBUL
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=160147