ANKARA — Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), maker of the T129 attack helicopter, has teamed up with three Polish defense companies in the hope of winning a Polish chopper contract.
 
A memorandum of understanding was signed Tuesday Sept. 1 in Poland to formalize the partnership, TAI said. TAI’s Polish partners are WCBKT, WZL1, ITWL and MESKO. 

The partnership was discussed and progressed during the IDEF ’15 show in Istanbul May 5-8 to cooperate on KRUK, Poland’s attack helicopter program. 
 
Last year, the Polish government issued a request for information for its planned acquisition of 32 attack helicopters. TAI is one of the producers that expressed interest in the contract; the others are Airbus Helicopters, Bell and Boeing.
 
TAI produces the T129 under license from the Italian-British AgustaWestland. 
 
While TAI is seeking export deals for the country’s first indigenous gunship it must win US export licenses for any future deal.
 
The T129 is powered by LHTEC CTS800, the commercial and export version of the T800 turboshaft engine for rotary wing applications made by the Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Co., (LHTEC), a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and Honeywell.
 
CTS800 primarily powered the AgustaWestland Super Lynx 300 and ShinMaywa US-2 aircraft. In addition to the Turkish attack helicopter program, it also has been selected for the AgustaWestland AW159 Wildcat and Lynx Mk. 9A helicopter programs.
 
Email: bbekdil@defensenews.com

Burak Ege Bekdil was the Turkey correspondent for Defense News.

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