Germany offers participation in IDAS to Turkey

[Saifullah Sani]

Germany is offering Turkey the option of participating in its IDAS submarine-launched missile programme, IHS Jane's understands. Source: Diehl

Germany has offered Turkey the opportunity to participate in the Interactive Defence and Attack System for Submarines (IDAS) missile project, IHS Jane's has learnt.

Berlin's offer to Ankara was made during a meeting held between Major General Benedikt Zimmer, Director-General of Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support at the German Ministry of Defence (MoD), and Brigadier General Saban Umut, Deputy Head of Co-ordination and Technology, at the Turkish Ministry of Defence.

IDAS is a short-range missile intended to defend against anti-submarine aircraft, as well as offering a capability against small surface vessels and land targets. It is designed to be fired from a submerged submarine, with a four-pack of missiles able to fit within a single torpedo tube.

Maj Gen Zimmer also offered Turkey the opportunity to participate in an in-service support arrangement for the Airbus A400M transport aircraft with other participants in the programme. Turkey has so far received two A400Ms of the 10 it has ordered.

Roketsan signed in 2013 a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Diehl under which the Turkish company will develop warheads for IDAS in return for investing money in the project. Around 80% of the IDAS system development has already been developed by Germany's Diehl BGT Defence.

The German government will first approve the qualification of the IDAS programme before Turkey can also take part in the development of the missiles. The missiles are intended to be fitted into Turkey's new Type 214 submarines that the country is planning to co-produce with Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft and Marine Force International (HDW-MFI).

Turkey signed a EUR2.5 billion agreement with HDW-MFI in July 2009 for the co-production of six Type 214 air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarines at the Gölcük naval shipyard in Turkey. At the time it was announced that Turkish industrial participation in the project would be worth around 80% of the total value of the deal.

However, as a result of ongoing political and technical reasons, the construction of the first submarine is scheduled to begin in 2016, with delivery to the Turkish Navy in 2020 or 2021. Earlier schedules were to begin building the first submarine in 2011 for delivery this year.

Speaking to IHS Jane's , a spokesperson for the Turkish Undersecratariat for Defence Industries (SSM) stated: "SSM has to a great extent reached agreement on technical issues with the German company before the start of the construction of submarines." However they noted that "talks on few issues are continuing, as a result of which delivery of some material has [been] delayed. Once technical issues are resolved construction of the [first] submarine will start."

SSM indicated that the German company will be fined as a result of the delays based on timing and performance criteria within the contract.

ANALYSIS
Speaking to IHS Jane's , one senior Turkish procurement official said: "Ankara will weigh the advantages and disadvantages of both offers of Germany. If Turkey, for instance, takes part in the IDAS project this will give it access to knowledge on missile technology and perhaps a say on technical issues in the programme."

Meanwhile, Turkish-German yearly defence co-operation meetings begun in 2010, were not held in 2013. This was as a result of the wave of anti-government protests in Turkey at the time, which the Turkish government accused Germany, alongside with some other countries, of provoking the demonstrators.

Turkish-German relations soured further in 2014 when after reports in August that the German BND intelligence agency had been spying on Turkey since 1976. Turkey at the time summoned Germany's ambassador in Ankara but took the matter no further. This has led to speculations that Ankara did not cancel the submarine project out of a fear that Bonn may retaliate by revealing damaging information about the Turkish government. This speculation was described as absurd however by the SSM to IHS Jane's .

Germany offers participation in IDAS to Turkey - IHS Jane's 360