Leading Turkish defense contractor inks $92.5M deal

By Gokhan Ergocun

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's pioneering defense company Aselsan has announced a €76.8 million ($92.5 million) deal with BMC Otomotiv, one of the country's major commercial and defense vehicle producers.

"Agreement regarding the procurement of SARP Remote Control Gun System for the needs of Turkish Land Forces and Gendarmerie General Command has been signed [...] Deliveries will be made in 2018," Aselsan said in a regulatory filing on Thursday.

Aselsan, established in 1975, mainly focuses on supplying the Turkish Armed Forces but has grown to provide systems to foreign clients.

BMC has produced 300,000 vehicles over the past 50 years with exports to over 80 countries -- mainly to EU member states.

Aselsan says its SARP remote control weapons platform features "fire-on-the-move capability, day and night imaging, automatic target tracking, laser range finder for accurate ballistics, last round warning, manual backup, and high ammunition storage capability".