US' Sikorsky wins $3.5 bln tender

US defense giant Sikorsky yesterday won a $3.5 billion Defense Industry Undersecretariat tender on 109 general purpose helicopters. After a meeting of the Defense Industry Executive Committee, Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul told reporters that TUSAS Aerospace Industries (TAI) would produce major parts of helicopters in Turkey, with the 109 next generation T-70 Sikorskys as a first step. In the long term, this number could rise to 600. Local capabilities will be used in production as much as possible. The production will be at TAI's facilities in Ankara.