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Gönül confirms inspection of Israeli-modernized tanks
Recalling that a contract for the modernization of 170 M60 tanks in Turkey’s inventory was signed with Israel’s IMI before his Justice and Development Party (AK Party) came to power in November 2002, Gönül told Today’s Zaman that if the inspectors detect any wrongdoing they will be able to trace those responsible.
Inspectors are acting on a tip that the way the project was contracted to the Israeli company was flawed, Gönül said, recalling recent press reports over technical problems that have occurred during M60 modernization and saying that those problems could not be overcome. The project has cost more than initially foreseen, the same press reports said.
Gönül stated that technical problems would be detected during the acceptance of the modernized tanks, adding that the last modernized tank is scheduled to be delivered on April 7 during a ceremony to be held in Kayseri, where some of the tanks were upgraded.
Retired Gen. Erdal Sipahi, currently a deputy from the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), has been quoted by the media complaining about the high price paid for the tank modernization as well as technical problems experienced with the upgraded tanks.
Turkey signed the $688 million contract with Israel’s IMI on March 29, 2002, for the modernization of 170 tanks in the face of severe criticism for giving the project to Israel at the expense of local Turkish industry. Defense industry bureaucrats were forced to put their signature to the contract. The facts that each tank was to cost $4.2 million, thus Turkey owns the most expensive tanks on earth, that the delivery of the finished tanks was repeatedly pushed back despite Turkey’s urgent need for them and that only about $35 million worth of the work was given to local Turkish companies were among the criticisms leveled at the time.
Retired Gen. Hüseyin Kıvrıkoğlu was chief of General Staff and Sabahattin Çakmakoğlu, a deputy from the MHP, was the defense minister of the tripartite coalition government when the tank project was signed with Israel.
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