Turkey Buys 10 Israeli UAVs
CBNNews.com
December 27, 2007
CBNNews.com - JERUSALEM, Israel - Within the next several weeks, Israeli defense contractors will deliver 10 UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles or drones) to the Turkish Air Force.
Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. is lead contractor on the $190 million deal, along with Israel's Elbit Systems Ltd. and Turkey's Aselsan.
Turkey plans to use the drones to monitor activities of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), labeled a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union.
A Turkish news agency reported that an Israeli team is monitoring a drone for the Turkish army in its fight against the PKK.
For more than two decades, Kurds have fought for autonomy in southeastern Turkey, using strongholds in northern Iraq for cross-border attacks.
According to The Associated Press, tens of thousands of soldiers, terrorists and civilians have been killed over the past 20 years.
The AP further reports that since U.S. President George Bush's November 5 visit with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the U.S. has provided Turkey with intelligence reports to bolster its fight against the Kurds.
As part of the deal, Israel will provide training and technical support for the Heron UAVs.
Sources: The Associated Press, The Jerusalem Post
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