23:18 GMT, December 21, 2008 Turkish Defence Industry Executive Committee has been gathered on December 18, 2008 in order to discuss the issues that have been in its agenda and to decree about them.

During a meeting, Turkey selected Italian company Telespazio for the construction of a long-delayed Göktürk electro-optical satellite system worth around $250 million.

The agreement covers the supply of an Earth observation satellite equipped with a high-resolution optical sensor, an integration and test centre for satellites to be built in Turkey, and the entire ground segment of the system, which will carry out in-orbit operation, data acquisition and processing. Telespazio will also provide all satellite launch and test services. Telespazio’s offer, which involves local industry on a significant scale, fully met the requirements of the Turkish defence authorities, which chose the Finmeccanica company from a large number of bidders .
The conditions laid down in the request for proposal for the Göktürk satellite include a five-year operational life with 97 percent availability, land and maritime surveillance capability, a secondary mission objective to meet civilian satellite imagery requirements and that the program should directly involve Turkish engineers and imagery specialists.

In the meeting Undersecretariat for Defence Industries had been authorized in order to sign contracts with contractor companies of the below mentioned projects of which evaluation activities had been completed. In that context it has been decreed to start to contract negations with the following companies: in within the scope of Wheeled Tactical Vehicles program, the procurement of 413 Command & Control Vehicle (Type 1: ¾ ton) and 448 t Troop & Cargo Carrier Vehicle (Type 2: ¾ ton) with OTOKAR A.S. ; 706 Troop & Cargo Carrier Vehicle (Type 3: 2½ ton ) and the procurement of 468 Mine Resistant Personel Carrier Vehicles, 282 Cargo Carrier Vehicle ( 5 ton) and 403 Cargo Carrier Vehicle (10 ton) with BMC A.S.; Amphibious Armoured Combat Earthmover Procurement with FNSS A.S.; in Fire-Damage Control Training Simulators project with Meteksan A.S.; in Message and Documents Distribution System Project with Koc Defence A.S. and STM A.S. ; Cougar Helicopter Training Simulators project with Havelsan A.S.; Self Propelled Low Altitude Air Defence Gun System Project with Roketsan A.S.; Modern Rifle Project with MKEK and Landing Craft Tank (LCT) Project with Adik and Furtrans Business Partnership.

It had been decreed to launch three new projects under the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries’ responsibility which requirement determination activities had been completed in the context of Turkish Armed Forces ten years acquisition/procurement program.