Turkey's Tusas Aerospace Industries (TAI) and Italy's Agusta Westland are set to start co-production of 50 and optional 40 attack helicopters, officials said on Sunday.

In March 2007, Augusta Westland won Turkey's attack helicopter tender in which South Africa's Denel was the other bidder.

Contract signed by TAI and Agusta Aerospace took effect a while ago and a ceremony will be held in Turkish capital Ankara on Tuesday. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul are expected attend the ceremony, officials said.

TAI will be the local prime contractor, Turkey's Aselsan and Italian company Agusta will be the subcontractors of the project to produce a total of 90 attack and tactical reconnaissance helicopters that would be produced by means of national software and hardware systems.

Under the contract, Turkey will be a party to the intellectual property rights of new configuration of helicopters. Turkey will also be the only resource for final assembly, flight procedures and entire airframe production.

AA