A detailed anatomy of the Turkish Air Force....
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- Joined: 17 May 2008, 04:17
$45 BILLION MODERNIZATION OF TuAF
Turkey has allocated a budget of $150 billion for modernization of its Armed Forces. This sum will be spent over a period of 30 years (which commenced retrospectively in 1997). This budget is exclusive of the yearly military budget which is officially stated as 5.7% of GDP. $45 billion of this has been allocated for the total overhaul of the Turkish Air Force.
According to US Navy Sources, under this very ambitious modernization program Turkey intends to acquire 650 Combat Aircraft and 750 Helicopters (Attack, General Purpose, Heavy Lift). See Pages 138 of “TURKEY’S RESPONSE TO THREATS OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION”, December 2001, United States Navy, NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, Monterey, California, http://www.nps.edu/academics/sigs/nsa/publicationsandresearch/studenttheses/theses/Al01.pdf
The 650 combat aircraft include the 230 F-16 CCIP + 30 F-16 Block 50+, 100 F-35 (Firm Order), 52 F-4 2020 Terminator, 238 Unknown Fith Generation Fighter. The Turkish Military establishment is discussing two option:
(1) To increase the total number of F-35C being commissioned
(2) To join the Eurofighter consortium in Trache 3
According to inside sources the first option is the most favoured by the establishment as Washington has offered licenced production at Turkish Aerospace Industries.
Regarding the acquisition of 750 Helicopters: The T-129 (a Turkish development of the Agusta/Westland A-129) has been selected as the Attack platform. 10 firm (40 option) Apache has also been approved. Sikorsky and Turkey are currently negotiating for the co-production of a medium lift general purpose heli. Turkey is also in negotiations with the US for the co-production or off-the shelf procurement of the Chinook Heavy Lift helicopter. See
http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=21982.
Inventory and Structure of the Turkish Air Force
The TuAF currently operates 230 F-16s distributed in 11 squadrons, all F-16s squadrons are AMRAAM/Sidewinder capable, some dedicated ground attack squadrons with LGB, Maverick AGM-65G, LANTIRN pods, one squadron is dedicated for SEAD with HARMs.
Structure
Ankara Akinci Main Jet Base:
141 Block-40 Fighter
142 Block-30 Fighter
143 Block-30 OCU
Merzifon Main Jet Base:
151 Block-50 SEAD
152 Block-50 Fighter
Bandirma Main Jet Base:
161 Block-40 LANTIRN
162 Block-40 Fighter
Diyarbakir Main Jet Base:
181 Block-40 LANTIRN
182 Block-40 Fighter
Balikesir Main Jet Base:
191 Block-50 Ground Attack/Fighter
192 Block-50 Fighter
TuAF also currently operates 52 F-4E/2020 Terminators which are dedicated to air-ground with Popeye-1/2, LGB, MAvericks and LITENING-III (these 2020 Terminators can be considered as the "poor-man's" F-15) plus 80 F-4E/RF-4E used as Interceptor and for Recce purposes...The Turkish Air Force approved the further upgrade of a further 48 F-4Es and 18 RF-4E, thus bringing them up to F-4E/2020 standards.
Structure
Eskisehir Main Jet Base:
111. F-4E/2020 Terminator
112. F-4E Interceptor
113. RF-4E Recce with LOROP pods
Malatya Main Jet Base:
171. F-4E/2020 Terminator
172. F-4E Interceptor
173 RF-4E Recce with LOROP pods
TuAF also currently operates 7 KC-135R tankers to support these squadrons
TRANSPORT FORCE
7 x C-130E Hercules (being extensively modernised with Full Glass Cockpits etc)
6 x C-130B Hercules (with ELINT/SIGINT equipment)
19 x C-160T Transall
50 x CN 235-100M
10 x Airbus A-400M (Firm Order)
UNMANNED AERIAL INVENTORY
0 x (20 on order) TIHA MALE Attack/Surveillance (Indigenous UAV similar to US Predator, TIHA-B armed with 4 laser guided missiles) (800 km)
40 x Heron MALE Attack/Surveillance UAV (1000/3300 km)
107 x Harpy Attack UAV (500 km)
2 I x GNAT Surveillance UAV (500 km)
HELICOPTER INVENTORY
20 x AS 532UL Cougar Mk1 (14 SAR + 6 CSAR)
81 x Bell UH-1H Iroquois (SAR/ECM/Utility)- To be modernized
45 x UNKNOWN HEAVY LIFT (Negotiations for the co-production of a heavy lift helicopter such as the Chinook still continuing).
TRAINING AIRCRAFT INVENTORY
69 x T-38A Talon (received structural upgrade, to be modernized)
61 x Cessna T-37B/C (received structural upgrade)
38 x Aermacchi SF-260D
26 x T-41D Mescalero
0 x KAI KT-1 (40 on order to replace T-37s)
Also, currently the development of both Turbo-prop and Turbo-fan engine trainer aircraft are continuing at Turkish Aerospace Industries. It is planned that they will enter service in 2012.
TuAF Air Defense Force
Long Range/High altitute
72 Nike Hercules(about to be retired
Patriot/S-300/S-400- There is currently in negotiations with Russian and US companies for an anti-balistic missile defence shield (It will consist of a minimum of 4 systems). Russia is the favoured as they have offered co-production and tech-transfer. See Russia offers Turkey upgraded, longer-range S-300s Papandreou: Greece is ready to discuss everything with Turkey that doesn't affect its sovereignty P - Turkish Daily News Mar 04, 2000
After the off-the-shelf initial order of 4 systems, Turkey will then commence the development of an indegenous system in conjunction with a foreign partner. There is a requirement of an extra indegenous 8 systems.
A next generation Very-High Altitude Anti-Balistic weapons system web- to be co-produced by the Boeing and Havelsan of Turkey team. It will be used by the US, Turkey and NATO. See http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-2590089_ITM and
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2008/q2/080422b_nr.html
Medium Range/Altitute
24 I-HAWK-PIP3 launchers with MPQ-64 Sentinel Radars/Konsberg Fire Control Centers
Indigenous system in development by ASELSAN of Turkey
Low Altitute/Short Range
80 x Rapier Lauchers/37 Blindfire Fire Control radars upgraded to B1X version, new 800 Rapier Mk-2 missiles started to be assembled in Turkey.
32 x Aselsan of Turkey KMS, each carries 4 ready to fire Stingers-RPM and 12.7mm machine gun for close range defence...
35mm/40mm short range AA guns supported by D-XI Radar/FLIR weapon control platforms...
Cruise Missiles/ Ballistic Missiles/ Quasi-Ballistic Missiles Inventory
Popeye-1 air-launched standoff missiles with 100km range and 360kg payload
In May 1997 Israel and Turkey agreed to jointly produce the Popeye 2 air-to-ground missile in a deal initially worth about $100 million dollars. The new deal involved a consortium to be established between two Turkish firms and Rafael to jointly produce the Popeye 2, a smaller missile with more advanced technology. The Popeye 2, also known as the Have Lite, is designed for deployment on fighter aircraft and has a range of 150 kilometers.
See http://gbulten.ssm.gov.tr/arsiv/2005/05/10/01.htm and
http://www.jinsa.org/articles/articles. ... 60,102,413[/url]
Yildirim Indegenous SRMB
See http://www.monch.com.tr/index.php?optio ... =view&id=7
Project J- Unknow range and capabilities, being developed together with the Peoples Republic of China. Turkey is said to be providing high tech western guidance systems.
Turkish Space Program
Turkey also has a very active space program. The program includes but is not limited to, the acquisition of a 0.8cm resolution Recon. Satelite (Project Gokturk-1) for use by the Turkish Armed Forces and a 2m resolution Recon Satelite (Project Gokturk-2) for use by the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation. Gokturk-2 is currently being produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries. Gokturk-1 is in the tender stages. The electro optical parts required for the Gokturk-1 (0.8m resolution) are beyond the technological knowhow of Turkish Aerospace Industries, thus a foreign partner is being sought. The strongest contenders in the tender are EADS-Astrium and Elenia.
See
http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive0 ... 72505.html
http://gbulten.ssm.gov.tr/arsiv/2001/05/30/01_2.htm
http://www.bilten.metu.edu.tr/tubitakUz ... istory.asp
[img]
http://www.turkishworld.multiservers.co ... neme_x.jpg[/img]
Turkey has allocated a budget of $150 billion for modernization of its Armed Forces. This sum will be spent over a period of 30 years (which commenced retrospectively in 1997). This budget is exclusive of the yearly military budget which is officially stated as 5.7% of GDP. $45 billion of this has been allocated for the total overhaul of the Turkish Air Force.
According to US Navy Sources, under this very ambitious modernization program Turkey intends to acquire 650 Combat Aircraft and 750 Helicopters (Attack, General Purpose, Heavy Lift). See Pages 138 of “TURKEY’S RESPONSE TO THREATS OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION”, December 2001, United States Navy, NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL, Monterey, California, http://www.nps.edu/academics/sigs/nsa/publicationsandresearch/studenttheses/theses/Al01.pdf
The 650 combat aircraft include the 230 F-16 CCIP + 30 F-16 Block 50+, 100 F-35 (Firm Order), 52 F-4 2020 Terminator, 238 Unknown Fith Generation Fighter. The Turkish Military establishment is discussing two option:
(1) To increase the total number of F-35C being commissioned
(2) To join the Eurofighter consortium in Trache 3
According to inside sources the first option is the most favoured by the establishment as Washington has offered licenced production at Turkish Aerospace Industries.
Regarding the acquisition of 750 Helicopters: The T-129 (a Turkish development of the Agusta/Westland A-129) has been selected as the Attack platform. 10 firm (40 option) Apache has also been approved. Sikorsky and Turkey are currently negotiating for the co-production of a medium lift general purpose heli. Turkey is also in negotiations with the US for the co-production or off-the shelf procurement of the Chinook Heavy Lift helicopter. See
http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=21982.
Inventory and Structure of the Turkish Air Force
The TuAF currently operates 230 F-16s distributed in 11 squadrons, all F-16s squadrons are AMRAAM/Sidewinder capable, some dedicated ground attack squadrons with LGB, Maverick AGM-65G, LANTIRN pods, one squadron is dedicated for SEAD with HARMs.
Structure
Ankara Akinci Main Jet Base:
141 Block-40 Fighter
142 Block-30 Fighter
143 Block-30 OCU
Merzifon Main Jet Base:
151 Block-50 SEAD
152 Block-50 Fighter
Bandirma Main Jet Base:
161 Block-40 LANTIRN
162 Block-40 Fighter
Diyarbakir Main Jet Base:
181 Block-40 LANTIRN
182 Block-40 Fighter
Balikesir Main Jet Base:
191 Block-50 Ground Attack/Fighter
192 Block-50 Fighter
TuAF also currently operates 52 F-4E/2020 Terminators which are dedicated to air-ground with Popeye-1/2, LGB, MAvericks and LITENING-III (these 2020 Terminators can be considered as the "poor-man's" F-15) plus 80 F-4E/RF-4E used as Interceptor and for Recce purposes...The Turkish Air Force approved the further upgrade of a further 48 F-4Es and 18 RF-4E, thus bringing them up to F-4E/2020 standards.
Structure
Eskisehir Main Jet Base:
111. F-4E/2020 Terminator
112. F-4E Interceptor
113. RF-4E Recce with LOROP pods
Malatya Main Jet Base:
171. F-4E/2020 Terminator
172. F-4E Interceptor
173 RF-4E Recce with LOROP pods
TuAF also currently operates 7 KC-135R tankers to support these squadrons
TRANSPORT FORCE
7 x C-130E Hercules (being extensively modernised with Full Glass Cockpits etc)
6 x C-130B Hercules (with ELINT/SIGINT equipment)
19 x C-160T Transall
50 x CN 235-100M
10 x Airbus A-400M (Firm Order)
UNMANNED AERIAL INVENTORY
0 x (20 on order) TIHA MALE Attack/Surveillance (Indigenous UAV similar to US Predator, TIHA-B armed with 4 laser guided missiles) (800 km)
40 x Heron MALE Attack/Surveillance UAV (1000/3300 km)
107 x Harpy Attack UAV (500 km)
2 I x GNAT Surveillance UAV (500 km)
HELICOPTER INVENTORY
20 x AS 532UL Cougar Mk1 (14 SAR + 6 CSAR)
81 x Bell UH-1H Iroquois (SAR/ECM/Utility)- To be modernized
45 x UNKNOWN HEAVY LIFT (Negotiations for the co-production of a heavy lift helicopter such as the Chinook still continuing).
TRAINING AIRCRAFT INVENTORY
69 x T-38A Talon (received structural upgrade, to be modernized)
61 x Cessna T-37B/C (received structural upgrade)
38 x Aermacchi SF-260D
26 x T-41D Mescalero
0 x KAI KT-1 (40 on order to replace T-37s)
Also, currently the development of both Turbo-prop and Turbo-fan engine trainer aircraft are continuing at Turkish Aerospace Industries. It is planned that they will enter service in 2012.
TuAF Air Defense Force
Long Range/High altitute
72 Nike Hercules(about to be retired
Patriot/S-300/S-400- There is currently in negotiations with Russian and US companies for an anti-balistic missile defence shield (It will consist of a minimum of 4 systems). Russia is the favoured as they have offered co-production and tech-transfer. See Russia offers Turkey upgraded, longer-range S-300s Papandreou: Greece is ready to discuss everything with Turkey that doesn't affect its sovereignty P - Turkish Daily News Mar 04, 2000
After the off-the-shelf initial order of 4 systems, Turkey will then commence the development of an indegenous system in conjunction with a foreign partner. There is a requirement of an extra indegenous 8 systems.
A next generation Very-High Altitude Anti-Balistic weapons system web- to be co-produced by the Boeing and Havelsan of Turkey team. It will be used by the US, Turkey and NATO. See http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-2590089_ITM and
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2008/q2/080422b_nr.html
Medium Range/Altitute
24 I-HAWK-PIP3 launchers with MPQ-64 Sentinel Radars/Konsberg Fire Control Centers
Indigenous system in development by ASELSAN of Turkey
Low Altitute/Short Range
80 x Rapier Lauchers/37 Blindfire Fire Control radars upgraded to B1X version, new 800 Rapier Mk-2 missiles started to be assembled in Turkey.
32 x Aselsan of Turkey KMS, each carries 4 ready to fire Stingers-RPM and 12.7mm machine gun for close range defence...
35mm/40mm short range AA guns supported by D-XI Radar/FLIR weapon control platforms...
Cruise Missiles/ Ballistic Missiles/ Quasi-Ballistic Missiles Inventory
Popeye-1 air-launched standoff missiles with 100km range and 360kg payload
In May 1997 Israel and Turkey agreed to jointly produce the Popeye 2 air-to-ground missile in a deal initially worth about $100 million dollars. The new deal involved a consortium to be established between two Turkish firms and Rafael to jointly produce the Popeye 2, a smaller missile with more advanced technology. The Popeye 2, also known as the Have Lite, is designed for deployment on fighter aircraft and has a range of 150 kilometers.
See http://gbulten.ssm.gov.tr/arsiv/2005/05/10/01.htm and
http://www.jinsa.org/articles/articles. ... 60,102,413[/url]
Yildirim Indegenous SRMB
See http://www.monch.com.tr/index.php?optio ... =view&id=7
Project J- Unknow range and capabilities, being developed together with the Peoples Republic of China. Turkey is said to be providing high tech western guidance systems.
Turkish Space Program
Turkey also has a very active space program. The program includes but is not limited to, the acquisition of a 0.8cm resolution Recon. Satelite (Project Gokturk-1) for use by the Turkish Armed Forces and a 2m resolution Recon Satelite (Project Gokturk-2) for use by the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation. Gokturk-2 is currently being produced by Turkish Aerospace Industries. Gokturk-1 is in the tender stages. The electro optical parts required for the Gokturk-1 (0.8m resolution) are beyond the technological knowhow of Turkish Aerospace Industries, thus a foreign partner is being sought. The strongest contenders in the tender are EADS-Astrium and Elenia.
See
http://www.space.com/spacenews/archive0 ... 72505.html
http://gbulten.ssm.gov.tr/arsiv/2001/05/30/01_2.htm
http://www.bilten.metu.edu.tr/tubitakUz ... istory.asp
[img]
http://www.turkishworld.multiservers.co ... neme_x.jpg[/img]
- Forum Veteran
- Posts: 522
- Joined: 22 Feb 2006, 16:03
- Location: Enterprise, AL
Dear TAI,
You have mentioned about the acquisition of Apache Attack helicopters, as far as I know, Turkish Armed Forces had previously shown no interest in this particular platform. What has changed?
You have mentioned about the acquisition of Apache Attack helicopters, as far as I know, Turkish Armed Forces had previously shown no interest in this particular platform. What has changed?
SEMPER VIPER
- Newbie
- Posts: 4
- Joined: 17 May 2008, 04:17
Ankara is currently in negotiations with the US for 10 firm (40 option) Apaches as a stop gap solution until the T-129 enters into service. There are many Turkish media reports regarding this acquisition. They are set to be delivered within 6 months of order as the US said they have enough in stock.
See http://haber.mynet.com/detay/guncel/Tur ... 08/N145405
http://www.gazeteport.com.tr/EKONOMI/NEWS/GP_199556
http://postagazetesi.net/index.php?opti ... 6&Itemid=1
See http://haber.mynet.com/detay/guncel/Tur ... 08/N145405
http://www.gazeteport.com.tr/EKONOMI/NEWS/GP_199556
http://postagazetesi.net/index.php?opti ... 6&Itemid=1
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