The helicopter being referred to is a Turkish variant of the
well known Italian Augusta. The Turks have modified the design making it more
suitable for operations in Anatolia and the Pakistanis are interested. Their Bell manufactured Cobra fleet is aging.
It is noteworthy that Pakistan has chosen to cut this deal with
Turkey. Both nations are effectively dissident satraps of the US Empire, though
of the two, Turkey has certainly been subject to more intervention and direct
control... that is until Erdogan came along.
You can be sure there were some in the Washington Defense
establishment that were less than thrilled that Pakistan chose to purchase
these helicopters and from Turkey no less.
It is worth mentioning that South Korea considered the T129
but instead went with the Boeing AH-64 Apache. It's not too hard to understand
why.
The US can't say much as Turkey is a NATO ally but clearly
the sale represents a rebuke and dismissal of the US by both parties. Turkey is
trampling US ground so to speak and Pakistan is continuing its subtle and
sometimes not-so-subtle divorce from the US Security state. The US has recently spoken out against Islamabad receiving a 'bailout' loan from the IMF and Pakistan is increasingly looking elsewhere... for weapons and financial help. There are suggestions that Pakistan will seek a bailout from China, a move that will certainly anger the United States.
Purchases from Russia also mark Islamabad's
rejection of Washington. Turkey continues to push their new helicopter and
other US allies... some 'strained' allies are showing interest.
Arms sales is a huge economic sector that's interesting in
itself but it also plays into the larger political game and while it is not one
of my main areas of interest, I keep an eye on the press releases. There are
some 'nuggets' to be found.
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