Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) is to supply and launch an intelligence satellite for Turkey and is close to signing a deal with Singapore for similar equipment. The two contracts are potentially worth $1.3 billion.
Turkey's $270 million contract will see IAI's MBT division build an Offeq-type satellite to carry an Elop optical payload with a monochromatic resolution of better than 1m (3ft). Israel already has an Offeq-3 in orbit and is building Offeq-4, which will carry an optical payload with a 1m resolution. Tel Aviv is understood to have supplied Turkey with Offeq-3 imagery of Iran and Iraq.
IAI will launch the satellite using a Shavit booster. According to Turkish sources, a last-minute cut in the bid price secured the deal for Israel, edging out France's Alcatel.
Meanwhile, TelAviv and Singapore are close to signing a contract for intelligence satellites. The $1 billion deal may include launches.
According to Israeli sources, the agreement will include the development of a series of satellites capable of providing images with a resolution of better than 1m and the development of synthetic aperture radar payloads.
Singapore will fund satellite developments and will receive the technology as part of the deal.
Source: Flight International
