Turkey and Pakistan will cooperate on a venture to supply warships developed under MLGEM, Turkeys national ship project, to the Pakistani Naval Force.
The MLGEM project, carried out jointly by Turkeys Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM) and the Turkish Naval Forces, is a landmark project that developed the countrys first corvette-class warship.
The STM defense company is working on the MLGEM project. Speaking to Turkish journalists yesterday in Karachi, which is currently hosting the fifth International Defense Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2008, Sava Onur, a retired admiral who is currently the MLGEM project manager, said the fair has been a very good opportunity for Turkish defense companies to promote their projects. We also display MLGEM here, which is one of the most important projects Turkey has produced in the past few years.
Onur said the project was of a scale that would have a long-term impact on the Turkish shipbuilding and defense industries. Pakistan needs more ships like this. We are planning to carry out a joint project with Pakistan for these corvettes.
Onur said that more than 50 Turkish firms -- including the largest defense firms, Aselsan, Havelsan and STM -- have played a role in the MLGEM project, gaining invaluable experience in warship building.
He said the three defense firms have merged forces to supply Pakistans demand for corvette ships. This is a four ship corvette project. The first ship will be designed and built in Turkey, while the three others will be built in Pakistans military shipyards. This is really a comprehensive project. It is expected to last 10 years, he said.
He noted that Turkey has had talks with Pakistan about this project for nearly two years. We can say that we are reaching an agreement. I think we will realize the project successfully. The Turkish defense industry has the capacity to manage such projects.
Turkey?s M?LGEM to build military ships for Pakistan