US bans Defense Export Licenses for Turkey, the Philippines’ acquisition of the T129 affected

A T129 ATAK Helicopter in flight, Photo from Wikimedia Commons

The United States (US) just officially sanctioned Turkey for its acquisition of Russia’s S-400 Triumf Surface to Air Missile (SAM) System, and among the Sanctions it imposed is the banning of US Defense Export Licenses. 

Now the T129 ATAK Helicopter made by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) that the Philippines is acquiring currently uses the CTS-800 Engine which was designed and manufactured by the American Company Light Helicopter Turbine Engine Company (LHTEC), but license built in Turkey. 

Thus in order to export it they need an approved Export License from the US. Now that the US has denied Defense Export Licenses to Turkey, then the export of the T129 with American designed and/or manufactured Parts are prohibited. 

So the big question now is, will the Philippines cancel the acquisition of the T129, or will it still continue the acquisition, using Engines and other Parts which will not require an Export License from the US? 

For the Engines, there are other alternatives out there based on previous News Reports, and these are as follows:

‘TS1400 and Gem Engines’

Turkey is developing their own designed and manufactured Engine for the T129, the TS1400, but as per the latest News Reports, it won’t go into Mass Production until 2024, so the Philippines will have to wait at least that long to get the T129 if it goes for that. 

The T129 could also reportedly use the Gem 2 Engine used on the A129 Mangusta Attack Helicopter that the T129 was based on, it is made by the United Kingdom (UK) Company Rolls Royce and still is in production up to now as the Gem 42.

But the Gem 42 is a less powerful Engine at only 747 kW compared to the CTS-800 (1,014 kW) or the TS1400 (1,044 kW) and thus the Performance of the T129 in terms of Payload, Speed, Climb, etc. will be affected negatively. 

‘Safran Engines’

The likeliest alternatives are the Engines made by the French Company Safran as the Defense Turkey Publication in February 2019 said are the “Plan B” in case the US denies the export of the CTS-800 Engine, which of course they just did.

The Arrano 1A (969 kW Power) and the Ardiden 1H1 (Shakti)/1U (1,044 kW Power) Engines were mentioned in the Article. The Ardiden are used on India’s locally made Helicopters like the Druvh. 

Phillippine and Turkish Officials though never mentioned the Safran Engines as alternatives despite the problems all this time about the export of the CTS-800 Engines.    

France, where the Safran Engines are made, has been offering the sale of their Scorpene class Submarines to the Philippines. 

‘Parting Shot’

The denial of the US of Defense Export License like the one for the CTS-800 is a big setback to the Philippines’ planned acquisition of the T129 Helicopter. 

The Philippines may cancel the acquisition altogether, or it may try to go with the reported “Plan B” for the T129 Engines, if there really is such a plan. 

The Philippines and Turkey have not talked about such a plan though, and no timeline yet has been provided for it. 

Also to take note of is what the Defense Turkey Publication also said that the Philippine acquisition is for 6 T129 Helicopters, with an option for 10 more. 

And another thing is the fact that it is the US who has problems with Russia, and yet it is now involving other Countries like Turkey into their fight which should not be the case. 

SOURCES: 

* The United States Sanctions Turkey under CAATSA 231 {Archived Link}
* Turkish Aerospace to Receive First ATAK-GOKBEY Helo Engine Prototype {Archived Link}
* Turkey needs to find a new Engine for Pakistan's T129 order {Archived Link}
* Rolls Royce Gem Engine 

* Original Power System TS1400 Turboshaft Engine Developed by TEI’s Seasoned Team of Experts for the T625 Helicopter {Archived Link}
* Safran Arrano 1A Engine {Archived Link}
* Safran Ardiden 1H1 (Shakti)/1U Engine {Archived Link}

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