KAI Wins Turkish Trainer Aircraft Contract

By BURAK EGE BEKDIL, ANKARA


Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) has won a long-delayed Turkish contract for the sale of up to 54 basic trainer aircraft, Turkish officials announced June 20.
KAI was competing with Brazil’s Embraer.
“A decision has been made to open contract negotiations with KAI for the Turkish basic trainer aircraft program,” Turkey’s procurement office, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, or SSM in its Turkish acronym, announced on its Web site.
A procurement official familiar with the trainer aircraft said that KAI’s solution was better than its rival’s in terms of local industry content and price.
“We are hoping to conclude the contract as soon as possible, and I don’t think there would be any stick issues.”
KAI is the maker of the KT-1 basic trainer aircraft, which is yet to be developed. Embraer’s solution was a proven model, the Super Tucano.
Industry sources estimate the contract value at about $450 million. The trainer program is considered by the Turkish air force as a “priority buy.”

at last !!

tucano was a good plane !! but this one looks nýce too.