Turkey, Ukraine to Start Joint Production of An-188 Aircraft

Turkey and Ukraine are to begin joint production of military transport aircraft An-188. It is reported that the first prototype aircraft, which is planned to be produced as a joint venture, was presented at the International Exhibition of Civil Aviation Infrastructure and Airports EurAsia Airshow 2018, held in Antalya, Turkey, from April 25 to 28 this year.

The exact date of the beginning of joint production of aircraft has yet to be reported.

Earlier in Turkey, tests were carried out of a long-range land-to-surface missile. Called KAAN, the new missile was launched from a test site in Sinop province in northern Turkey and, flying 280 kilometers in the specified direction, fell in the Black Sea. It was noted that these tests are the last, after which the missile will be adopted by the Turkish army.

The rocket system KAAN produced by the company Roketsan was presented at the international exhibition of the defense industry IDEF-2017 in Istanbul.

Since 2011, in Turkey, as part of the strengthening of the domestic defense industry, there has been an increase in the production of mobile outposts designed for the fight against militants of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Canik TP9 pistols, ANKA unmanned aerial vehicles, and other military equipment.

In recent years, Turkey has invested about $35 billion in the defense industry.

By Dimitri Dolaberidze