The UAVs are scheduled to arrive before the end of November, Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül said last Wednesday, speaking before a congress of a local branch of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in İzmir. He hoped the Heron systems would be added to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) fleet by the end of November. As part of a $190 million deal the TSK signed several years ago, Israeli crews will provide training and technical support for the unmanned aircraft. The PKK uses strongholds in northern Iraq for cross-border raids. The Turkish military has been conducting air strikes on the PKK targets inside northern Iraq since Dec. 16 and launched an incursion involving hundreds of troops. A UAV system, leased from Israel, reportedly has been deployed in southeastern Anatolia to monitor PKK activities. Turkey considers the PKK a terrorist organization, as do the U.S. and the European Union.
Satnews Daily
October 23rd, 2008
Heron UAVs To Fly For Turkey
The UAVs are scheduled to arrive before the end of November, Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül said last Wednesday, speaking before a congress of a local branch of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) in İzmir. He hoped the Heron systems would be added to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) fleet by the end of November. As part of a $190 million deal the TSK signed several years ago, Israeli crews will provide training and technical support for the unmanned aircraft. The PKK uses strongholds in northern Iraq for cross-border raids. The Turkish military has been conducting air strikes on the PKK targets inside northern Iraq since Dec. 16 and launched an incursion involving hundreds of troops. A UAV system, leased from Israel, reportedly has been deployed in southeastern Anatolia to monitor PKK activities. Turkey considers the PKK a terrorist organization, as do the U.S. and the European Union.