More Super Cobra Attack Helicopters to Turkey

Plans for the transfer of three Bell AH-1W [1] Super Cobra attack helicopters to Turkey under a US Foreign Military Sale were formally approved under a notification to Congress by the US Defense Security Co-operation Agency (DSCA) on October 28. In recent years Ankara has been asking Washington to transfer more AH-1Ws, but the United States rejected earlier Turkish requests, saying its Marine Corps was using all 170 AH-1Ws in the Afghanistan war. But this time a positive U.S. response was prompted by Ankara’s decision last month to host an X-band radar on its soil as part of a planned NATO shield system to counter potential ballistic missile attacks from rogue states. The U.S. administration proposed the sale from its Marines’ present inventory. 
Mavi Boncuk | 
Turkey bought ten AH-1W SuperCobras in the early 1990s, and supplemented this fleet with 32 ex-US Army AH-1 Cobras. AH-1Ws have been used in the war against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). In 2011 Turkey requested to buy three AH-1Ws from the USMC inventory. The proposed acquisition was one of a number of measures against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) that were discussed with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu the previous day in Ankara by a visiting US delegation led by Assistant Secretary of the Department of Defense Alexander Vershbow. 


The DSCA states that the deal will be worth an estimated $111 million, including associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support. Also included would be one spare T700-GE-401 engine, inspections and modifications, spare and repair parts, personnel training and training equipment. The helicopters will be second-hand examples drawn from the existing US Marine Corps inventory and will involve two of those currently deployed with US forces in Afghanistan. Once all approvals have been received, it is planned to transfer the helicopters in early 2012. They will join the Turkish Land Forces, which already has seven AH-1Ws in its inventory. 


Toward the end of next year, Italy’s AgustaWestland, which has a multibillion-dollar contract for joint production of 50 T-129 attack helicopters with Turkish Aerospace Industries, is expected to begin deliveries to the Turkish Army. 


[1] The Bell AH-1 SuperCobra is a twin-engine attack helicopter based on the US Army's AH-1 Cobra. The twin Cobra family includes the AH-1J SeaCobra, the AH-1T Improved SeaCobra, and the AH-1W SuperCobra. The AH-1W is the backbone of the United States Marine Corps's attack helicopter fleet, but will be replaced in service by the Bell AH-1Z Viper upgrade.