Turkey hopes to conclude a major defense deal with Saudi Arabia

[Bubblegum Crisis]

IMO, the 40-nation coalition should put their resources together to come up with some standardized weapons systems. They can share R&D, productions etc....

I agree 100%.. actually there is the potential of 57 Muslim nation..

Quote :

Turkey strikes military deal with Saudi Arabia

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News | 5/24/2010 12:00:00 AM






Turkey signed Monday a military cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia that the General Staff said would contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.

Turkish Chief of General Staff Gen. İlker Başbuğ and Saudi Arabia's Deputy Defense Minister and Prince Khalid bin Sultan signed the agreement at the military headquarters in Ankara.

“I believe the signing of the agreement for training, scientific and technical cooperation in the military field will contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East region where opposite developments prevail,” Gen. Başbuğ said before the signing ceremony.

He said the deal would also help improve bilateral relations based upon friendship, mutual understanding and cooperation.

Prince Khalid bin Sultan said the deep rooted ties of brotherhood between the two countries was a driving force behind the cooperation between them. He said they wanted to carry the cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries further and create a framework that would boost this cooperation.

Bin Sultan said he hoped the agreement would lead to concrete steps to enhance the facilities and capabilities of the armed forces of the two countries.

Gen. Başbuğ wished the agreement would be beneficial for both sides and concluded his remarks by saying “Şukran,” which means “Thank you” in Arabic.

Bin Sultan earlier in the day met with Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül. At the press conference, Gönül said: “Peace, stability and security in the Middle East are among our priorities in foreign policy. These issues directly have an impact on our national security.”

He continued: “We will discuss possible cooperation in the manufacture of defense related products. We will also discuss sharing technology with Saudi Arabia… We aim at making joint production of weapons that our countries need.”

The beginning of military cooperation between Turkey and Saudi Arabia would be crucial, Khalid bin Sultan stressed.

“Turkey is among the strongest countries in the Muslim world. We pay high attention to developing ties with Turkey,” he added.


...


Quote 2 :

DST and ASELSAN Sign Joint Venture Company Agreement

2/24/2016




TAQNIA Defense and Security Technologies (DST), a subsidiary of Saudi Development and Investment Company and ASELSAN, a Turkish Armed Forces Foundation Company, signed a 50:50 Joint Venture (JV) agreement to establish a defense electronics Company in the Kingdom. Through the agreed investments, the JV Company will establish a state of the art facility for the design, development, manufacturing and sales of Radar, Electronic Warfare and Electro-Optic technologies to serve the needs of the Kingdom and the region.

The agreement was signed in Riyadh between DST and ASELSAN during the opening ceremony of the Saudi Armed Forces Exhibition (AFED). Dr. Hamad Alyousefi, CEO of DST and Mr. Mustafa Murat Şeker, Chairman of the Board of Directors for ASELSAN signed the agreement. His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Turki Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Saud, President of KACST and Chairman of the Board of Directors for TAQNIA along with Professor Dr. İsmail Demir, the Undersecretary for Defense Industries for the Republic of Turkey witnessed the signing of the agreement.

Dignitaries present during the signing ceremony included the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Deputy Minister of Defense, Chief of Staff, Turkish Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a number of other high ranking officials from both sides.

His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Turki Bin Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Saud commented on signing the agreement that; "Through this joint venture we are investing to establish a world-class facility which will lead to nurturing local talent and supporting economic growth and diversification in the Kingdom. This important defense partnership will have a positive impact on the Kingdom's technological innovation capabilities."

Professor Dr. İsmail Demir stated that; "This agreement is aligned with our strategic collaboration to strengthen military, economic and investment cooperation between the two countries and will contribute to maintaining the stability, peace and security in the region."


Aselsan (Press Room)



...

 

[Saif al-Arab]

To be honest one of the most annoying things is that we are including non-Muslim majority sub-saharan hell-holes into this alliance. They are completely and utterly useless.

Instead of attempting to include these countries we should try to include central asian/European(Bosnia,Albania,Kosovo) muslim countries who would be way more valuable.

Also does anyone know why Iraq isn't joining?

All the Sub-Saharan African countries who are member states are majority Muslim nations outside of tiny Benin, Togo and Gabon. However all 3 have substantial Muslim minorities.

Bosnia, Albania and Kosovo are tiny countries too with even smaller populations and not much larger economies today (let alone in 5-10 years when those Sub-Saharan African countries will outgrow them not only in terms of population (by even more than today) but also economies).

Also don't forget that terrorism is rare in tiny Kosovo, Bosnia (45% Christian country) and Albania (60% Muslim) nor do those countries seem to be interested.

25 million people live in Togo, Benin and Gabon combined. That is 3 times as many as the combined populations of Albanian, Kosovo and Bosnia. Muslims in those 3 Sub-Saharan African countries outnumber those 3 countries entire combined populations.

Muslim Central Asian countries are under a heavy influence from Russia. So that might explain it.

Iraq did not join because they were/are afraid that this coalition (if it will become functional and yield any influence) would target some of the Shia militias that operate outside of the state but which are tolerated by the Iraqi government for now as the priority is to defeat/fight ISIS. However with the growing/warming KSA-Iraq ties they might want to join in the immediate future.

Algeria did not join for similar reasons and because it is a military regime and the most pro-Russian Arab country along with Syria who are neither members for obvious reasons.

Indonesia prefers to not meddle/influence events outside of its own sphere of influence (Southeast Asia) and they are not really eager/vocal in terms of events in the Middle East/MENA. However I predict that this will change as their economy is growing quickly (largest Muslim economy and the most populous Muslim country) and KSA and Indonesia are already working together in the fight against terrorism (counterintelligence) and after King Salman's historic visit earlier this year, new developments might occur. I think that they plan to await how this military alliance will work before they make a choice.

In general Indonesia's influence in the Muslim world is negligible considering that it is the most populous Muslim nation and the largest Muslim economy.

In any case, a lot of talk as usual, but I want to see how it will really work in reality. Not having big hopes knowing the qualities or lack thereof of most leaders/regimes in the Muslim world.

 

[EgyptianAmerican]

Bosnia, Albania and Kosovo are tiny countries too with even smaller populations and not much larger economies today (let alone in 5-10 years where those Sub-Saharan African countries will outgrow them not only in terms of population but also economies).

Also don't forget that terrorism is rare in tiny Kosovo, Bosnia (45% Christian country) and Albania (60% Muslim) nor do those countries seem to be interested.

Yes that is true but Albania is apart of NATO and Albania and Bosnia as well as Kosovo are highly developed with extremely well-trained armies. I would take them over Togo and Gabon regardless big population or not. This is a military alliance and it's not called the Islamic military alliance for nothing. We need professional and well-trained armies. Can Togo and Gabon offer that? Highly unlikely. Can Albania and Bosnia offer that? YES

If we were talking economics or basic economic growth then I would agree 100% but we aren't. This is supposed to be a professional counter-terrorism force that will be deployed in multiple combat zones. Togo and Gabon simply can't offer us that.

do those countries seem to be interested.

We can convince them, a lot of countries weren't interested in the beginning. That is starting to change. Serbia's continued aggression against Kosovo/Albania and Bosnia will lead to them wanting to get the odds as much in their favor and maybe they will join because of that.

Muslim Central Asian countries are under a heavy influence from Russia. So that might explain it.

Kazakhstan didn't change their alphabet to latin for nothing.

 

[Bubblegum Crisis]

...

If you give them ToT, with which people are they going to make weapons? No facilities and industry to make a chip, give them Tot as much they can handle.

Nobody wrote about that Arabs are dependent on Turkey.Wher did you read it, well you didn't use single brain. I didn't compared Arabs technological industry what they don't have, i wroted the facts! What if Turkey give 100% Tot. Who is going to make a chip in KSA? And that did hurt you, give me a example. Which company will be able make chip for the great 500 million arabs.

Go live further with your tribe culture...

^^

...

 

[Oublious]

Please save all 500 million Arabs as we are dependent on Turkey. What would we do without the technological superpower Turkey?

Cretin.

Nobody wrote about that Arabs are dependent on Turkey.Wher did you read it, well you didn't use single brain. I didn't compared Arabs technological industry what they don't have, i wroted the facts! What if Turkey give 100% Tot. Who is going to make a chip in KSA? And that did hurt you, give me a example. Which company will be able make chip for the great 500 million arabs.

Go live further with your tribe culture...

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Nobody wrote about that Arabs are dependent on Turkey.Wher did you read it, well you didn't use single brain. I didn't compared Arabs technological industry what they don't have, i wroted the facts! What if Turkey give 100% Tot. Who is going to make a chip in KSA? And that did hurt you, give me a example. Which company will be able make chip for the great 500 million arabs.

Go live further with your tribe culture...

I don't care about your blabbering. You seem very interested in what Arabs are doing and what they are not doing. I suggest that you find another hobby. Stop wasting my time with nonsense which is inaccurate and irrelevant.

Yes that is true but Albania is apart of NATO and Albania and Bosnia as well as Kosovo are highly developed with extremely well-trained armies. I would take them over Togo and Gabon regardless big population or not. This is a military alliance and it's not called the Islamic military alliance for nothing. We need professional and well-trained armies. Can Togo and Gabon offer that? Highly unlikely. Can Albania and Bosnia offer that? YES

If we were talking economics or basic economic growth then I would agree 100% but we aren't. This is supposed to be a professional counter-terrorism force that will be deployed in multiple combat zones. Togo and Gabon simply can't offer us that.



We can convince them, a lot of countries weren't interested in the beginning. That is starting to change. Serbia's continued aggression against Kosovo/Albania and Bosnia will lead to them wanting to get the odds as much in their favor and maybe they will join because of that.



Kazakhstan didn't change their alphabet to latin for nothing.

Albania and Bosnia have very small armies. Kosovo, as far as I am aware at least, do not even have a traditional army. Neither of those 3 countries or the 3 Sub-Saharan African countries would play any significant role other than maybe deploying a few 100 soldiers.

I think that those 3 Sub-Saharan African countries are included because their leaders wanted to become members states (unlike Bosnia, Albania and Kosovo) and due to being located closely to Nigeria which has Boko Haram and other armed groups to fight. For instance Nigeria being a member state is quite a thing considering their huge population that will soon become the fourth largest in the world.

Also many Sub-Saharan African countries have great armies if run by capable leaders. The Chadian army for instance plays a crucial role in many conflict zones in the Sahel/Western Africa and they are a highly respected fighting force. Just ask the French. Also I believe that it is crucial for the Arab world to have cordial ties with Sub-Saharan Africa from an economic viewpoint and security one since we are neighboring them at least North African countries. People are overall ridiculing them but this won't last forever.

Don't forget that we Arabs have deep ties (Sub-Saharan Africa, especially Horn of Africa and Muslim Sub-Saharan Africa) has been heavily influenced by us throughout history. There are cordial ties. This will definitely benefit us once this part of the world fulfills its big potential. Let the rest of the world make fun of them and use them. I prefer the current strategy and building friendships between areas of the world/peoples that we have elements in common with due to shared culture/heritage/influences.

Well, the leaderships can certainly try to do that. Doubt that anything will change unless we see how this Islamic Military Alliance will work in practice. If it succeeds potential member states will follow suit automatically, I imagine.

Kazahstan/Central Asia is the playground of Russia and increasingly China. Nothing will change on this front, at least in the nearby future and as long as certain dictators are ruling. They would be obvious member states seeing how much they struggle with militants, especially Uzbekistan.

 

[The SC]

Nobody wrote about that Arabs are dependent on Turkey.Wher did you read it, well you didn't use single brain. I didn't compared Arabs technological industry what they don't have, i wroted the facts! What if Turkey give 100% Tot. Who is going to make a chip in KSA? And that did hurt you, give me a example. Which company will be able make chip for the great 500 million arabs.

Go live further with your tribe culture...

Listen brother, there is a thread in the Arab defence section called "made in KSA" another one called "Made in the UAE", go check them out, thee is a lot of scientific and technological changes going on in the Arab world, these two are just the tip of the iceberg.. have a good browsing in the Made in KSA thread.. hope to hear from you soon..

 

[HannibalBarca]

Listen brother, there is a thread in the Arab defence section called "made in KSA" another one called "Made in the UAE", go check them out, thee is a lot of scientific and technological changes going on in the Arab world, these two are just the tip of the iceberg.. have a good browsing in the Made in KSA thread.. hope to hear from you soon..

Well GCC or Arabs... Are growing years after years... And that's a good thing...But let's be clear and right about it... We are Years and Years behind Turks. Turkey have an Industry going on for decades and decades... Arabs are new in this field... But thx to $, ToT and JV and Local investment on high tech industry is appearing rapidly...

Arabs to get to Today Turkey industrial lvl and Research, you will need decades... You have to teach new genrations and minds from the youth pop.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Well GCC or Arabs... Are growing years after years... And that's a good thing...But let's be clear and right about it... We are Years and Years behind Turks. Turkey have an Industry going on for decades and decades... Arabs are new in this field... But thx to $, ToT and JV and Local investment on high tech industry is appearing rapidly...

Arabs to get to Today Turkey industrial lvl and Research, you will need decades... You have to teach new genrations and minds from the youth pop.

This is a natural process as you have to start from somewhere. All the basics/knowledge has already been invented and not by fellow Muslims but the same Westerners that some criticize Arabs for having ties with.

The Arab world will close that gap eventually and due to our huge and growing population, wealth, future size of our economies, enormous potential etc. it would be very naive to think that we could not outdo most regions (at least a lot of them) of the world let alone Turkey (with all due respect to them as they are doing a good job as it is but also with help from the West/other partners). At least I would not bet against this occurring.

In any case some of the comments seen/witnessed in this thread would be taken more seriously by us if they were spoken by Americans and citizens of leading Western European industrial nations.

I have nothing against Turkey and Turks but some Turkish users here are quite annoying and seem to be quite obsessed about Arabs for some reason. Or in general being of the opinion that the world evolves around them and that Muslims will follow them as blind sheep because they are so much "superior" than the rest of us.

I asked very legitimate questions (that most people ask themselves) but in return some Pakistani based in the UK started rambling about how evil the West is etc. nonsense forgetting that the same Turkey is a NATO member state/firmly planted in the Western camp and that its military industry is heavily influenced/dependent on cooperation with the same West. Either that or playing the "Muslim card". As I wrote the current Iranian leadership have harmed the Arab world more than 98% of all Christian countries.

You see this attitude in this thread. Let's sell more weapons to the dumb Arabs and milk them. What's the difference between such opinions held by our "Muslim brothers" and the Westerners that they complained about who have such views about Arabs and Muslims in general? There is none.

 

[damm1t]

This is a natural process as you have to start from somewhere. All the basics/knowledge has already been invented and not by fellow Muslims but the same Westerners that some criticize Arabs for having ties with.

The Arab world will close that gap eventually and due to our huge and growing population, wealth, future size of our economies, enormous potential etc. it would be very naive to think that we could not outdo most regions (at least a lot of them) of the world let alone Turkey (with all due respect to them as they are doing a good job as it is but also with help from the West/other partners). At least I would not bet against this occurring.

In any case some of the comments seen/witnessed in this thread would be taken more seriously by us if they were spoken by Americans and citizens of leading Western European industrial nations.

Nobody gives you away strategic and critical technology buddy... And the West is the last entity to be happy a Turkey with a strong defence industry.

 

[EgyptianAmerican]

Albania and Bosnia have very small armies.

True but see the Quality difference

Albania has 12,500 active personnel

and Bosnia has 14,725

vs Gabon with 5,000 active troops

and Togo

 

[The SC]

To be honest one of the most annoying things is that we are including non-Muslim majority sub-saharan hell-holes into this alliance. They are completely and utterly useless.

Instead of attempting to include these countries we should try to include central asian/European(Bosnia,Albania,Kosovo) muslim countries who would be way more valuable.

Also does anyone know why Iraq isn't joining?

This is not like a NATO alliance, it won't get involved in wars.. in the first draft of the coalition it was stated that even for terrorism it will only intervene if asked by the legitimate government who can not handle a big wave of terrorism on its soil and is facing that threat..

 

[EgyptianAmerican]

This is not like a NATO alliance, it won't get involved in wars.. in the first draft of the coalition it was stated that even for terrorism it will only intervene if asked by the legitimate government who can not handle a big wave of terrorism on its soil and is facing that threat..

I never brought up wars my friend.

 

[The SC]

I never brought up wars my friend.

You talked about the Serbian menace, that is what prompted me to clarify things..

Hope the Bosnians and Albanian troops will participate with a few hundred each as a symbolic presence, because as you know, 12 000 or 14 000 men armed forces are the equivalent of one Egyptian division..
Togo presence will be also symbolic, and is important for Muslims, since Usrael has infiltrated many African countries and can stir trouble anytime it wants.. who do you think was behind the Idea of the Ethiopian dam to threaten Egypt and disperse its forces and energy..?

 

[HAIDER]

The POINT my friend is that although you can obtain the best weapons that money can buy, you buy them from trash that hate you to your core (for being muslim and arab) whether it be Americans or Europeans.


By buying from Turkey, you will buy from a Muslim state, who can then use the money to improve its product and make it EVEN stronger and who in your hour of need won't stop the supply of the weapons or parts or support because they hate you like the yanks

If you were as smart as you were rich
You would take your 80 billion budget and have a thriving indigenous weapons industry OR invest in the weapons of friendly muslim States so they can improve their weapons so the entire muslim world has options in the future

Think about it!

Money not only buy weapon , it also used to protect national interest and buy power centers favor.

True but see the Quality difference

Albania has 12,500 active personnel

and Bosnia has 14,725

vs Gabon with 5,000 active troops

and Togo

These africans are more ruthless fighters then East European.