Pakistan To Get T129 Helicopters Despite US Sanctions

Pakistan will proceed to acquire a T129 attack helicopter from Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) as originally planned despite US sanctions against Turkey, a high-ranking Army official has confirmed. 

While speaking at the 2021 Defense IQ’s virtual International Military Helicopter Conference, the official said the deal was delayed due to certain third-party approvals but the Turkish government is confident of getting over the political hurdles and receiving that third-party certification. 

AMERICAN INVOLVEMENT

With the American move now seriously jeopardizing the sale, the Turkish government has tasked Tusas Engine Industries, TAI’s sister company, with developing an indigenous engine for the T129.

“Pakistan has agreed to give us another year [to resolve the problem]. We hope we will be able to develop our indigenous engine soon to power the T129,” Ismail Demir; the head of Turkey’s top procurement agency, said Jan. 6. “After one year, Pakistan may be satisfied with the level of progress in our engine program, or the U.S. may grant us the export license.”

In 2018, TAI signed a $1.5 billion agreement to sell a batch of 30 T129 helos to Pakistan. However, the company needs to secure U.S. export licenses for any export deal with a third country. TAI produces the 5-ton attack helicopter, which is based on its predecessor, the A129 Mangusta.

The T129 is a twin-engine multirole attack helicopter produced under license from the Italian-British company AgustaWestland.Two LHTEC T800-4A turboshaft engines power it. Each engine can produce 1,014 kilowatts of output power. The T800-4A is an export version of the CTS800 engine. LHTEC, the maker of the engine, is a joint venture between the American firm Honeywell and the British company Rolls-Royce.

A procurement source told Defense News on Jan. 10 that Pakistan is also lobbying the U.S. to support the deal.

But U.S. diplomatic sources in Ankara said it’s unlikely Washington will issue the license given the cold nature of U.S.-Turkish defense procurement ties. The U.S. last year suspended Turkey’s membership in the multinational Joint Strike Fighter program. In response to Turkey’s acquisition of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system.