Raytheon, Lockheed consider fresh bid for Turkey missile defense

Raytheon and Lockheed Martin are considering ways to sweeten their offer to build a Patriot missile defense system for Turkey after Ankara said it could still back away from a provisional $3.4 billion deal with China.
Turkey announced in September it had chosen China's FD-2000 long-range air and missile defense system against rival offers from Franco/Italian Eurosam SAMP/T and Raytheon.
It said China offered the most competitive terms and would allow co-production in Turkey, but the decision caused alarm in NATO countries worried about China's growing clout.
Secretary of State John Kerry and other U.S. government officials raised concerns after Ankara's choice of the missile defense system built by China Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp, a firm that is under U.S. sanctions for violating the Iran, North Korea and Syria Nonproliferation Act.
Sources familiar with the discussions have said the deal could affect Turkey's plans to buy radar-evading F-35 fighter jets built by Lockheed.
Turkey helped fund development of the F-35 and hopes its participation results in component orders for Turkish firms.
reuters