M48 > M48A5T1, M48A5T2 upgrades
M60 >
M60T (Israëli) Sabra upgrade
ex German Leo2A4 > Next Generation (NG) upgrade package by Aselsan as a private venture
Leo1 A1s and A3s (all ex-German) > upgraded to 1T 'Volkan'
Leopard 2 Next Generation Main Battle Tank | Military-Today.com
Both feature Aselsan's VOLKAN Fire Control System
Well, actually they do. For as indicated, previous relations help build trust and experience. The fact that South Africa also got Meko's and Type 209s does not detract from that: they only got those after SA moved back into the civilized worldcommunity by abolishing apartheid. And during the Cold War, SA was firmly in the Western camp, just like Turkey.
Turkey has very longstanding military-industrial relations with Germany.
Yep, As It is seen It is about relations of countries along with the money that drive them to cooperate instead of being inside of NATO or not. Noone gives a death adder in others pocket cause of being NATO If they don't see any benefits that I told above. Politics play critical role in such ToT and procurements. If Being NATO member opened all doors to countries requesting technology from others, Each country inside of NATO would have self sufficient enough to fullfill their own requirements but There is not such a thing If We are talking about TECHNOLOGY.
Our longstanding partner Germany refused delivering 1000 Leopard 2A6EX Despite all governmental talks. The ex-German Leopard 2A4 tanks came to Turkey with lots of restrictions. Our biggest ally USA refused some simple licence production for 145 AH-1Z, bigger number of ATACMS missiles, larger number of M270 MLRS. Turkish F-16's can't be operated in Cyprus even in today. If the NATO was what you thought in your minds, Turkey would have never had such an active defence industry today. The motivation and ambitious of Turkish people comes from such bad experiences we have met with our NATO allies at almost all tenders so Domestic equivalents of the products which was refused to sell in past, are being talked as competitive of them today.
Today, Turkey developed an ambitious defence industry thanks to other sources and started revealing many products and Finally, Our friends realized that They started loosing a big market. To receive some cakes, They changed strategy to add Turkey into their projects. It is offered partnership of Eurofighter, British Frigate project, EuroSAM partnership, Utility helicopter partnership...etc but This time, It is Turkey refused all those offers with a great pleasure...
In last years, Turkey made two great technology transfer deal with our Western friends which is going to put Turkey into so special positions. 109+200 T-70 (%65-70 national workshare + technology transfer) and 6 U-214TN(%80+ national input + technology transfer). Those deals and great technology transfer issues are not about being NATO but realization of Turks' anger and determination for technology. They finally realized that If they don't share their technology with Turks, They will loose a big and serious market soTurkey received the extreme benefits that is not seen similar examples before. It is the reason T-70 deal meetings took years to persuade Skorsky officials to be clever for delivering all sensitive technologies to Turkey.
After deal, Skorsky announced that It is the first time They have given such a compromise to a country for their technology.
With Skorsky/TAI deal;
-TAI as prime contactor, became second source of the world for S-70 helicopter service and meintenance chain.
-Training/Education services are being done by TAI.
-Aselsan became global domestic avionic integrator institute for T-70 helicopters to be exported by Turkey.
-TAI received licence to export helicopters up to 600 T-70 worldwide.
-The GE engine to be produced by TEI will be called with TEI name and exported to worldwide from Turkey.
What a deal !!!