Gov't replaces Koç with Spanish design in ship bid
A national warship project (Milgem) which was earlier awarded to Turkey's Koç Holding has been given to a Turkish-Spanish joint venture (JV) which used Spain's largest naval unit, Juan Carlos I, as a model.
The Turkish media reported on Sunday that the government made its final decision on a delayed tender to domestically design and build an amphibious landing platform dock (LPD) vessel for naval forces. The bidders for the tender, including the construction of Turkey's first aircraft carrier, were the RMK Marine, Desan and Sedef shipyards, which are owned by the Koç Group, Chamber of Shipping Commerce Chairman Cengiz Kaptanoğlu and Executive Committee of the Chamber of Shipping Chairman Metin Kalkavan, respectively.
In January, the government said it had awarded the ship project to Koç subsidiary RMK Marine, a decision which was opposed by local bidder Sedef Gemi İnşaat A.Ş., which filed a complaint with the Prime Ministry Inspection Board back in June. The owner of Sedef is known for his close links to the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). The government later changed its mind in September about awarding the project to RMK, a move that follows earlier tension between Koç and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Erdoğan had criticized Koç for supporting this summer's anti-government Gezi Park protests and had warned that they “would pay the price.”
Reports on Sunday said the Defense Industry Implementation Committee (SSİK) agreed last week to select the JV between Sedef and Spain's Navantia as the winner of the Milgem project, which is valued at $3 billion. This means the government chose an already existing model to a unique, local design. The first Turkish-made aircraft carrier will be modeled on the Juan Carlos I (L-61) belonging to Spain, which visited İstanbul last year. Desan, meanwhile, was offering to use a design based on South Korea's Dokdo class.
The decision to eliminate Koç from the multi-billion dollar project, however, is no surprise considering that the company has had tough times amid tension with the government. Fuel companies belonging to Koç saw two separate government audits while the group's bank was slapped with tax fines this year under the shadow of the Gezi demonstrations.
In an effort to increase the Turkish military's naval power, Ankara plans to construct a 220-meter-long military base on the water. However, since the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) currently do not have any planes that are capable of vertical take-off and landing, the project will initially be used as a helicopter ship.
Turkey's first national aircraft carrier is expected to be equipped with a system that enables nonstop sailing for 30 days and 1,700 nautical miles. Its hangar and elevator systems will be constructed compatible with Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) planes which can take off and land vertically which Turkey will acquire in the coming years. It will also be able to carry up to 100 tracked military vehicles. Two landing craft air cushion (LCAC) hovercraft boats will be located in the pool section of the aircraft carrier.
A prominent Spanish property in NATO, Juan Carlos I was earlier under close watch of the Australian government, which said it would build two ships with the same design.
