KIEV. Oct 11 (Interfax-AVN) - Ukraine is likely to resume participation in the Turkish tender for construction of eight Milgem-type corvettes with the following completion of four more combat vessels, Sergei Krivko, spokesman for the UFUK International industrial group, said on Thursday.
Ukraine has suspended participation in the project due to lack of funds, but the project is likely to be revived in the near future, as the Black Sea is acquiring more importance in relation with international projects of transport energy corridors.
Ukraine is represented in UFUK International by the Progress company, state-owned research and design centre and Okean shipyard. The group also features Gibbs & Cox, a U.S. producer of combat ships, Israel Aircraft International, a leader of the Israeli defence industry, and Gelik Trans, a Turkish shipyard.
Ukrainian and Turkish participants are expected to get at least 35 percent of orders for component parts and materials in case the group wins the tender, Krivko said. Ukraine is accepted in international teams more often now, he stressed.
The only true competitor of UFUK International in the tender for the USD1.5bn contract is a German ship-building consortium, Krivko claimed.