Price, Technology Transfer Helped Clinch Turkish Missile Deal for China

A day after Turkey shocked the world by selecting ChinaPrecision Machinery Export-Import Corp (CPMIEC) to partner it in the development of an air defence and anti-missile system, details are emerging as to the reasons behind the selection.

"The Chinese gave us the best price," Defense Minister İsmet Yılmaz told Vatan, a Turkish newspaper. The Chinese manufacturer had also agreed to a co-production deal with Turkey.

In an official statement, Turkey said it has "decided to begin talks with the ChinaPrecision Machinery Export-Import Corp (CPMIEC) company of the People's Republic of Chinafor the joint production of the systems and its missiles in Turkey".

CPMIEC won the contract worth $4 billion by beating a USpartnership of Raytheon and Lockheed Martin, Rosoboronexport, and the Italian-French consortium Eurosamrs out of the competition.

The U.S expressed its dismay with Turkey's decision to pick a firm, it has placed under sanctions for delivering arms to Iranand Syria, to build the air defence and anti-missile system.

"We had asked for joint production and a technology transfer," the Turkish minister said. "If other countries cannot guarantee us that, then we will turn to ones that can."NATOmember Turkey is a key regional ally to the United States, and currently has US-built Patriot missile systems deployed on its border to deter incoming attacks from Syria.

Ankara aims to develop its own long-range air defense and anti-missile architecture to counter both enemy aircraft and missiles.

Meanwhile, NATO also expressed anxiety over possible compatibility issues between the Chinese-made system and others used within the alliance.