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Tolga Özbek with Simon Ward, the President of Airbus Turkey, during the Istanbul AirShow held at Atatürk Airport:
We're currently at a civilian exhibition, but I will also have questions regarding military aviation. One of the agenda items for Turkey is the Eurofighter. What is the situation from Airbus's perspective regarding Turkey?
Airbus plays a key role in the realization of the Eurofighter project. The Eurofighter is also a consortium consisting of the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Besides Airbus, it includes BAE Systems and Leonardo. Each company has different responsibilities. For example, BAE Systems is responsible for finding new customers and securing contracts. Airbus is providing significant support for both the development of the project and Turkey’s role as an important partner in the Eurofighter initiative. There is also the aspect of export licenses.
To overcome political issues, Airbus is providing substantial support for these efforts. We may see the Eurofighter in Turkey soon.
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My last question will be about Turkey's tanker aircraft project. Last year, during our interview at IDEF, you mentioned that Airbus had proposed a tanker aircraft developed from A330neo to Turkey.
Turkey has a plan to acquire seven aircraft to renew its existing tanker fleet. The tanker aircraft project is the second most important project for the Turkish Air Force after fighter jets. This is a detailed project. We are discussing many aspects, such as new or second-hand aircraft and engine options.
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