Turkey to order first F-35s

"...Turkey's undersecretary for state-run defence said in a statement on Tuesday.

It would be the first order of Turkey's pre-announced plan to purchase 100 F-35 jets for $16 billion, which had been expected to begin next year.

In the statement, Turkey said its commitment to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme "continues strong as ever."

"In this context, Turkey continues her forecast of the acquisition of 100 F-35A aircraft as planned and declared previously."..."

Lockheed Martin : Turkey Moves Closer to F-35 Deal
05 May 2014 Doug Cameron

[...]

Turkey had previously delayed its formal order by two years, and the defense ministry said the planned deal for two aircraft would come in the 10th batch that will be negotiated by the Pentagon on behalf of U.S. services and overseas customers in 2016, with deliveries two years later.

Overseas orders are tied in part to work on the $392 billion F-35 program, with around 30% of the jet by value built outside the U.S., including by Turkish contractors. The defense ministry said it was looking to establish a final assembly and delivery line in Turkey--as well as a maintenance center--for the jet's F-135 engine, which is built by the Pratt & Whitney unit of United Technologies Inc."

Source: http://www.4-traders.com/LOCKHEED-MARTI ... -18390186/

mgelevli wrote:So it seems that a final decision for a "go" for the Turkish commitment to the JSF project has been made.
The first two jets will probably remain in the US for training purposes for a couple of years, until a bigger batch becomes available for the training to continue in Turkey. I suppose the first units to receive the F-35A will be the F-4 Phantom units in Eskisehir, Malatya and Konya Air Force Bases.

Turkey Orders F-35 6 May 2014

"The Defense Industry Executive Committee, the highest decision making body for Turkish Defense acquisition projects, met on 6 May 2014 and tasked the Turkish Undersecretary for Defense Industries, or SSM in Turkish, to order the country’s first two F-35A Lightning II multirole fighters. The aircraft will be delivered as part of Low-Rate Initial Production Lot 10. The SSM was also tasked to perform necessary activities for the establishment of a Final Assembly and Check-Out line and depot-level maintenance center for the F135 engine within Turkish local industry and Turkish Air Force structure. Turkey is one of the original F-35 consortium partners, joining the project in 1999. Current Turkish defense plans call for 100 F-35As."

Artist Concept by Dennis Soultaire: http://www.codeonemagazine.com/images/n ... 4_1401.jpg

Source: http://www.codeonemagazine.com/news_ite ... em_id=1285

Turkey, Pratt & Whitney agree on fighter engine center 20 May 2014 Anadolu Agency

"ANKARA - Turkey's Under-secretariat for Defense Industries and American aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney have signed a letter of intent for the establishment of an F135 engines center for F35 fighter jets in Turkey.

The deal covers the final assembly, check and maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade capabilities for the engines in Turkey and has been approved by the US government.

The Turkish Under-secretariat for Defense Industries said in a statement on Tuesday that the “letter of intent is an important milestone of a long-term cooperation between the Undersecretariat and Pratt & Whitney and also shows Turkey’s commitment to a Joint Strike Fighter Program, as well as Pratt & Whitney’s trust in Turkish capabilities.”

"Turkey’s primary aim is to provide benefit to the program by assembling F135 engines and providing service to the F-35 users in the region via these facilities," the statement said...."

SOURCE: http://www.turkishpress.com/news/407042/

Turkey’s new carrier alters eastern Mediterranean energy and security calculus
By MICHA’EL TANCHUM 02/04/2014 21:42

In late December 2013, Turkey took a major step in altering the naval balance in the eastern Mediterranean by contracting the construction of a multi-purpose amphibious assault ship that can function as an aircraft carrier, potentially providing Turkey an unprecedented measure of sea control in the region...
As an aircraft carrier, Turkey’s LHD will feature a flight deck with a 12° ski-jump enabling it to host both V/STOL (Vertical and/or Short Take-Off and Landing) and STOVL (Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing) fighter aircraft. While six fighter aircraft can be parked on its flight deck, the ship also has a hangar bay that can house 12 additional fighter aircraft.

Source: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Op-Ed-Cont ... lus-340352

Turkey Looks To Have Dual Fighter Fleet by 2023
15 Jun 2014 BURAK EGE BEKDIL

"...“Despite ups and downs, we remain fully committed to the [Joint Strike Fighter] program. But independently, we will develop our own fighter. There is an established policy understanding to keep our [fighter] fleet limited to these two only,” said a senior government official for defense procurement.

An official from the procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), confirmed: “We think a combination of both aircraft will ensure sufficient firepower and deterrence.”

The SSM official said the F-35 has some weaknesses in air-to-air combat, but the TF-X would compensate. TF-X is Turkey’s indigenous fighter under development.

After delays of more than a year, Turkey’s top procurement panel last month officially decided to order the country’s first two F-35s. The order is for the first F-35A aircraft with Block-3F configuration under Low Rate Initial Production-10....

...The SSM official said Turkey would eventually buy 100 to 150 of the TF-X.

“How we proceed from now on is to first decide on an engine for the TF-X and then develop the aircraft based on that engine,” he said.

This year, SSM wrote to three engine makers — GE, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls-Royce — asking them to propose a suitable engine for the TF-X.

“We expect to select an engine before the end of the year,” the SSM official said. “That will pave the way for the first phase of development.”

On June 6, Pratt & Whitney inaugurated at a high profile ceremony its Turkish partnership with local aviation company Kale to produce critical engine parts for the F-35.

Kale Pratt & Whitney, the joint venture, will manufacture the parts of the F-135, the engine for the F-35, at the plant in Izmir on Turkey’s Aegean coast.

Pratt & Whitney has a 51 percent share in the joint venture while the Turkish company holds the remaining 49 percent, company officials said.

The $75 million investment will employ an initial 700 workers."

Source: http://www.defensenews.com/article/2014 ... et-by-2023