Pakistan on May 31, 2018 signed a deal with Turkey to purchase 30 attack helicopters. The cost of the deal for the T129 ATAK helicopters, according to aerospace industry sources, was to be worth about US$ 1.5 billion, almost equivalent to Turkey’s annual defence exports.
This deal will be the largest defence deal between Turkey and Pakistan which has turned to other sources after the US made sharp cuts in military aid.
In addition to the helicopters, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) will provide logistics, spare parts, training and ammunition services.
Developed by TAI, the T129 ATAK multirole combat helicopter has been optimised for specific hot and high performance requirements of the Turkish Armed Forces—feature that may have led Pakistan to select them.
The T129 ATAK multirole combat helicopter can undertake high-altitude missions with heavy artillery.