Wnited States Senate WASHINGTON, DC 20510 October 2, 2012 ‘The Honorable Recep Tayyip Erdogan Prime Minister The Republic of Turkey Ankara, Turkey Dear Prime Minister Erdogan, We write to thank you and your government for your generous hospitality during our Senate Congressional Delegation visit to Ankara, particularly in accommodating so many of our meeting requests, While we regret that we will not have the opportunity to meet in person, we hope to see you the next time you are in Washington. We would also like to express our strong bipartisan support for Raytheon’s Patriot missile defense system. We understand that the U.S. system is one of several finalists to supply your government's long-range air and missile defense needs. We believe collaboration in this area presents a unique opportunity to strengthen relations between our two nations. ‘The Patriot remains one of the world’s most advanced, and only proven, air and missile defense system, Currently fielded by twelve nations, its combat performance record is well documented. The Patriot is also fully interoperable with NATO’s missile defense network, a benefit not shared by several of its competitors Selection of the Patriot system would also yield important economic benefits for Turkey and the United States. Expanded production of Patriot components would solidify Turkey's role as a key defense supplier in the region while supporting reliable employment for Turkish and American workers, It would also facilitate relationships between Turkish and U.S. counterparts that could serve as the foundation for future economic opportunities. ‘We appreciate your consideration and look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead on the many areas of mutual interests we share, Sincerely, wer alacn— Jeanne Shaheen United States Senator sd States Senator