Skorsky&Alp Havacılık Held a Press Meeting
MANUFACTURING OF BLACK HAWKS WILL BE MADE IN TURKEY”
Mr. Estill said that at present they purchase transmission, cockpit and air frame parts from Turkey based on an existing export license contract and continued by saying: “Manufacturing of teh Black Hawks will be realized in Turkey as the result of the technology transfer to be realized by Sikorsky. Also we would join the Turkish twin motor light helicopter program as partners, whether military or civil, we could move to a revolutionary ultra-sophisticated X-2 technology platform from there, which would double the speed of helicopters. We are waiting with excitement the decision of the Turkish Government regarding the Turkish General Purpose Helicopter Project. If our offer isn’t accepted there is no plan B. If we lose Turkey and Sikorsky will have lost a great opportunity. Products of companies like Aselsan and Roketsan were used in our helicopters. Sikorsky is now going to make a purchase that will provide direct revenues to Turkey. We plan to be lifelong partners with Turkey. Turkey and Sikorsky will jointly undertake R&D and share the common market. We undertook a Black Hawk investment in Poland 5 years ago. However, before this investment we came to Turkey and said, let us make the investment here instead of Poland. And Turkey said that they weren’t ready yet. For this reason we made the investment in Poland. We have come again. It’s time Turkey put its mark on the global aviation market, otherwise it has to wait for 10 years.”
Alp Aviation Chairman Mr. Tuncer Alpata stated that they were a model corporation in technology intense, high value added exports in Turkey and that they aimed for 50 million dollars in exports in 2010. Explaining that their export target in the next 5 years is 150 million dollars, Mr. Alpata stated the following: “With the initiation of the Turkish General Purpose Helicopter Project and the JSF project reaching a high production level, we foresee reaching 350 million dollars annually. In meeting our goal in providing for the needs of the Turkish Armed Force in an efficient manner, our cooperation with Sikorsky within the coverage of the Turkish General Purpose Helicopter Project is of critical importance. In the event that Sikorsky wins the Turkish General Purpose Helicopter Project, aside from the rotor and transmission systems of the helicopter and the gear and gear boxes, the flight command system, in sum the sections that are considered as spare parts will also be produced. In addition, as a first in our country the detailed production, assembly and testing of landing gears will take place at our facilities. The Project will create an additional work volume of 100 million dollars annually and a total of 2.3 billion dollars for Alp Aviation. Alp Aviation and contractors will have the opportunity to generate an additional employmentof 750 individuals”.
