Ukraine’s rosy dreams to sell Turkey a thousand new T-84 tanks to re-equip the Turkish army might well remain just pipe dreams. The Ankara military are becoming more and more enamored of the German Leopard.
The tank tender announced by Ankara should end up with the greatest arm-sales contract of 2000, worth $2 to 4 billion. Out of the eleven countries originally submitting bids for the order, only four states — Germany, France, the US, and Ukraine — remain on the home stretch. The Ukrainian T-84 tank is equipped with state- of-the-art electronics, a 1200-hp engine, and a NATO-standard 120-mm gun. Ankara will make its final choice after a comparative test of tanks first on the cold proving grounds at Sarikamish and then in a hot and dusty area.
This unique tank duel is expected to end this July. Of course, it is too early to speak about a potential winner before then, but German, as well as Russian, specialized publications write about the victory of none other than the German Leopards as almost a fait accompli. The point is that the American Abrams and the French Leclerc are the most expensive — $4 to 6 million apiece — while Ankara, after experiencing a powerful earthquake, wants to have a really good vehicle at a lower price. As to the stand-off between the Ukrainian T-84 and the German Leopard-2, the German tank is about $1.5 million more expensive, but in its favor is above all the traditions of military and technical contacts between Ankara and Berlin and stability of the German economy, as well as the fact that Leopard-2 is a serially-produced machine also adopted by the Bundeswehr. The Ukrainian T-84, as well as the Leclerc offered by France, has not yet been adopted by the respective national armies in its mainstream version.
In addition, while Kyiv only cherishes its dreams of a tank breakthrough to Turkey, Berlin has resorted to active practical actions. Germany was the first to send its tank for tests. And later last year, Ankara was visited by the German Defense Minister Rudolf Scharping. He pointed out that human rights in Turkey would be the main criterion for making a positive decision on the supply of tanks to that country. He also added Turkey had made considerable progress in approaching Western values. Since Ankara does not like being reminded and lectured about its domestic problems, this overture seems very important, for, given this restrained approach by Berlin, it becomes probable that no other than German tanks will come in handy for Ankara as yet another Western value.
