Based in London, Tony covers European defense programs. Prior to joining Aviation Week in November 2012, Tony was at Shephard Media Group where he was deputy editor for Rotorhub and Defence Helicopter magazines. Tony has covered avionics, unmanned vehicles, the supply chain and cyberwarfare.
Ankara wants six new helicopters in a troop transport configuration to operate from the new vessel, which will be based on Spanish shipbuilder Navantia’s Juan Carlos I helicopter carrier design but built by the Sedef shipyard in Istanbul.
The unannounced contract, signed in December, builds on the defense ministry’s ongoing Project Julius that aims to bring the U.K.’s Chinook transport helicopter fleet to the same standard with new engines, and a new cockpit avionics suite based on Thales TopDeck system.
