Israeli-Turkish Relations - Military Collaboration

Military Collaboration

In 2007, Israel and Turkey discussed the sale of Israeli Ofeq satellites and Arrow missile air-defence systems to Turkey to upgrade Turkish military and intelligence capabilities. Israeli defense companies have helped to modernize the F-4 Phantom fleet of the Turkish air force. Agreements have included air, sea, land and intelligence cooperation, manufacturing of aircraft, armaments and missiles, mutual military visits, training and exercises, dispatch of observers to oversee military exercises, staff exchanges and military know-how.

• Modernization of Turkey's F-4 Phantoms and F-5 aircraft – $900 million.
• Upgrading 170 of Turkey's M60A1 tanks – $687 million.
• Popeye-I and Popeye-II missiles.
• Popeye-II surface-to-air missiles – $150 million.
• 10 Heron UAV - $183 million.
• Arrow anti-ballistic-missiles. (Agreed in principle by Israel; approval by the United States pending.)
• The agreement provided exchange of pilots eight times a year; allowed Israeli pilots to practice "long range flying over mountainous land" in Turkey's Konya firing range; and permitted Turkish pilots to train at Israel's computerized firing range at the Nevatim airfield.
• The two navies conducted maneuvers during Operation Reliant Mermaid (the U.S. also participated) in January 1998.

In September 2011, military agreements between Turkey and Israel were suspended. Turkey has frozen 16 defense contracts worth billions of dollars since March 2010. Turkey suspended a 5 billion dollar deal for 1,000 Merkava Mk 3 tanks. Turkey also dropped Israel Aerospace Industries Arrow-2 anti-ballistic missile system worth $2 billion from bidding. Now only U.S, European, and Chinese companies can bid.