Forum: F-16 News

strongman wrote:

Which fighter can replace a twin engine fighter, a legend like a Phantom? What are your offers?

EF-2000 or F-35. Both of them have SAR radar.

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in my mind? nothing can replace them strongman...but im really very partial... Confused

if not the block 52s, i dont know, there arent many 'new' aircraft to choose from, especially if youre cost concious.

Fantasma 337 wrote:

Its is very unlikely imho that Turkey (or Greece) will buy both the Eurofighter and the F-35...

I don't agree with that..Turks might order some Typhoons in addition to F-35. Greece is also planning to buy some Typhoons after 2011 and for strategic reasons it will certainly acquire some Rafales as well ,an aircraft which is outside the reach of the Turks. Remember,the HAF operates Viper's and M2K's in the same squadron combining the potentials of both fighters.

The Turkish Air Force had some serious problems with this combination in the past as they couldn't handle the Mirage effectively in high altitudes.

seat_dreamer wrote:

For a "30 year old design" (as quoted by some local politicans), that thing surely sells damm good Wink

The production line must be nearing machine #5,000 - is anyone aware of the actual number for us to praise Very Happy

?

I do believe the sign at the front gate of the plant said "4300 and counting" as of last month. Gettin on up there

Ft. Worth is right. RAFO F-16C block 50 #815 serial [serial]02-2120[serial] was F-16 nr. 4300.

Greetings,

Henrik.

duplex,
I also heard a few times that the mirage has higher maneuverability than the viper at higher altitude. Is that because of the larger wing area, the snecma engine, aerodynamics or something else? OTOH, is the maneuverability issue really important today when we consider the point missile and radar tech has come today? (Mock-up dogfights when we play with each other is something but the real life is totally different) Not just the radar on the aircraft itself but the AWACS and land-based radars also. Noone is almost invisible today, I guess.

The staff general and commander of the Turkish Air Force, Faruk Cömert, has stated that 30 new F-16s will be purchased until 2011.

So, now we come to a point at [Link pending approval]

On the other hand, we still do not know whether these new aircraft will replace the non-modernised F-4E Phantoms or are the supplements for the previous losses.

Does that mean Turkey says definitely NO to Eurofighter and YES to F-35 after 2011.?

"Does that mean Turkey says definitely NO to Eurofighter and YES to F-35 after [Link pending approval]"

I do not think [Link pending approval] A total of 240 F-16 aircraft were purchased and 25 of them were lost in the accidents untill now. These new 30 Block 52 aircraft may be for the supplementation for those losses. If so, as I have stated in my previous posts, two squadrons flying with nonmodernised F-4E Phantoms will have to be modernised, meaning that there will be more purchases. These squadrons, if it is as I know it, 112 and 172, are more of air-interception squadrons and may receive some 40 EF2000 aircraft. Then, by 2015-2020, when the F-35s are received, the Terminators and Block30 F-16s may be replaced. So we may see EF2000s, F-16C Block30-40-50-52s and F-4E Terminators flying all together in the near future and at about 2020s, EF2000s, F-16C block40-50-52s and F-35s may be defending the Turkish skies.

Why does Tyrkey doesn't buy F-16 block 60?

Good Question!

duplex wrote:

Why does Turkey doesn't buy F-16 block 60?

Good Question!

Maybe they want to keep up, or ahead of the Greek. Greece had interest in buying the EF2000. They didn't because of the cost overrun of the Olympics they organized. But what if they do buy the EF2000. Then the Turks have block 60's against EF2000.. you do the math..

30 new F-16s will be Block 50 aircraft, rather than Block 52+. They will be purchased with features (such as AN/APG-68 (V9) radar) which would be added to the other F-16s in the upgrade programme underway. The cost of the purchase will be around [Link pending approval] billion USD.

I think that this proves these aircraft will be the supplementations for the lost F-16 aircraft, not replacing the non-modernised F-4E Phantoms.

The next purchase, I guess, will be a batch of 40 EF2000s. But who knows, may there be a surprise and we may see Su-35s flying over Turkish skies?

strongman wrote:

In my opinion, no more F-4E upgrades should be made. I do not find it wise. Instead of giving that much money to those grandfathers' time aircraft, attrition losses plus a few more F-16 aircraft may be purchased.

Traditionally TuAF used to fly with a single engine, light fighter aircraft supporting twin engine fighter-bombers, such as F-104 and F-4E in the past and F-16C and F-4E recently. Now that the F-4E aircraft are retiring, one would think to replace them with a new twin engine fighter bomber. In the 1990's we were expecting the Peace Onyx II would be 160 Block50 F-16C aircraft rather than 80 that had actually been purchased. Also the F-4E fleet would be modernised with F-15E Strike Eagles. But that has never happened nor there is a need for such that expenditure now.

On the other hand, if the active aircraft remains as the existing fleet of F-16C's, 215 aircraft are not sufficient to defend the Turkish Air Space. As one inspects the capabilities of the F-16E/F Block60 aircraft it can be realised that it can substitute a twin engine fighter bomber both for the Turkish and Hellenic Air Forces. When we begin receiving F-35A fighters by 2015, F-16C and F-16E fighters can still be used, when despite an upgrade, the F-4E's would be useless.

215 F-16C Block 30-40-50
30 F-16C Block 52+ for atrition losses
80 F-16E Block 60 for substitution of F-4E's.............315 F-16 fighters.
Supported by 4 B-737 AEW&C aircraft and 8 KC-135 tankers.

Comments?

Wow! That's far better than Brazilian Air Force... Embarassed

Well, Brazil is not in the most "caliente" area of the world as well Razz

No need for expensive systems !

Forum: F-16 News

Turkey's possible new F-16 block 52+ purchase