Turkey has selected the Bell AH-1Z King Cobra as its new attack helicopter. The initial $1.5 billion order will cover 50 aircraft, but the eventual deal will cover a total of 145 aircraft for $4 billion. The Turks pointedly named the Russian-Israeli Ka-50-2 as the "runner up" and warned that if the US Congress blocks the King Cobra deal on human rights grounds, Turkey will waste no time getting its aircraft elsewhere.--Stephen V Cole
