Turkey gets U.S.-made surveillance plane to monitor PKK rebels

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey has received one of five surveillance planes that it ordered from the United States to monitor the activities of Kurdish militants in Southeastern Anatolia, but the remaining four aircraft are not expected to arrive until September, Hürriyet Daily News reported.

Hawker Beechcraft was expected to provide the King Air 350 airplanes before the end of May, but only one jet has so far arrived, touching down last month.

Ankara has taken out a two-year lease on the five aircraft for $70 million in the interests of augmenting its airborne capabilities in the struggle against members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

Buying the planes instead of leasing would be a cheaper option, sources from the Undersecretariat of Defense Industries (SSM) admitted. However, they preferred leasing due to time pressure, but they may consider buying similar planes in the future, the officials told the HDN.