Report: Turkey Won't Get Cobras

The United States likely won't fulfill Turkey's request for AH-1 Cobras because it can't spare the attack helicopters, according to The Turkish Daily News. Turkey asked for 12 of the Bell Helicopter aircraft in late December to support its fight against insurgents. Turkey last year ordered AgustaWestland A129 Mangustas under a joint-production agreement, but they won't start entering service until 2013. Hence the Turkish army's need for near-term attack capability. But the United States is using nearly every Cobra it can field; the dearth of those aircraft contributed to the U.S. Marine Corps' recent decision to shift from re-manufactured to new-build Cobras under its H-1 upgrade program with Bell. (Bell already was building new UH-1s for the Marines.) For related news