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Turkey selects BAE for block 50 self-protection

June 1, 2004 (by Eric L. Palmer) - BAE Systems has been selected by the Turkish Ministry of National Defense, Undersecretariat for Defense Industries and the Turkish Air Force as the key subcontractor for an integrated electronic self-protection system to be installed on that nation's F-16 fighters.
Under the contract, which is valued at $100 million, development and delivery of hardware and related software for the AN/ALQ-178(V)5+ Electronic Warfare systems will be provided for Turkey's "block 50" version of its F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. Design and development will take place primarily at BAE Systems Information & Electronic Warfare Systems (IEWS) in Nashua, N.H., over the next four years. An integrated product team that includes both MiKES and IEWS' design experts will develop the highly sophisticated system, which will be able to counter advanced threats. Following the development phase, MiKES will be responsible for the production of 60 systems in Turkey.

Pertev Cinalioglu, general manager for MiKES Inc. in Turkey, sees the contract award as "the continuation of a cooperative business arrangement between BAE Systems and MiKES" that promises to garner an increasing share of EW protection for aircraft of many friendly nations.

Along with the F-16 EW contract, BAE Systems is responsible for producing the integrated EW suite for the U.S. Air Force's F/A-22 Raptor and development of EW protection aboard the newest U.S. tactical aircraft, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.