(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — Canada urges Turkey to approve Sweden’s application to join the NATO military alliance before resuming the export of crucial electro-optical components for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems to Ankara.
Canada suspended the export of high-tech electro-optical components to Turkey in 2020.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed that Canada’s linkage of the electro-optical component export issue to Sweden’s NATO application had the support of the United States.
“On the issue of drone cameras we wanted from them, Canada is insisting: Sweden, Sweden. The U.S. is repeating the same thing,” Erdogan was quoted by Turkey’s local media.
Faced with the suspension of electro-optical component exports from Canada, Turkish defense companies have started replacing these components in their UAVs with locally produced electro-optical components and targeting systems.
Sweden and Finland applied to join NATO following concerns arising from Russia’s military actions against Ukraine in February of the previous year.
While Finland’s NATO membership application was approved by other alliance members, Sweden’s application is still “stalled” due to opposition from Turkey and Hungary.
Ankara cites the presence of individuals categorized as terrorists in Sweden and the Scandinavian country’s reluctance to take action against the insult and burning of the Quran.
Canada’s suspension of electro-optical component exports to Turkey has not hindered the progress of Turkish drone manufacturers.
Selcuk Bayraktar, the chief technology officer of Baykar Technology, the developer of the Bayraktar TB2 drone, stated that their drones, including components such as high-tech electro-optical cameras imported from Canada, have been developed and produced domestically.
He emphasized that the embargo existed for a long time before they started operations but did not impede their progress.
Following Canada’s suspension of electro-optical component exports to Turkey, the country’s defense company, Aselsan, developed and produced the Common Aperture Targeting System camera.
Erdogan also mentioned that he would let the Turkish Parliament determine when they would discuss Sweden’s NATO membership application.
In October 2021, Turkey, also a NATO member, sought to purchase 40 F-16 fighter jets and 79 modernization kits estimated at $20 billion.
Despite President Biden’s administration promising to approve it, Turkey’s request faced opposition from the U.S. Congress due to Ankara’s reluctance to approve Sweden’s NATO application.
Erdogan suggested that Turkey would only approve Sweden’s application if the U.S. Congress approved Ankara’s request for the F-16 fighter jets.
“If you have your Congress, I have my Parliament. You say you will take steps on the F-16 issue after passing it through Congress. I also have a Parliament,” said Erdogan. — DSA
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