F-16 CCIP Modernization Project of Turkish Air Force

[orko_8]

A few days ago the contract for modernization of Turkish Air Force's F-16 fleet was signed with a cost of ~1.1 billion dollars. The project contains extensive modernization of 117 F-16C/D Block 40/50's and an option for 100 more (F-16C/D Block 30).

The project consists of radar upgrade (up to APG-68V9), avionics modernization, Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems, new precision guided advanced air to air and air to ground (both powered and unpowered) weapons and structural modification for additional service life.

The choice for weapon systems will be made after trials. Options consist of AIM-9X, Pyhton-5, Derby, AIM-120C AAM's, AGM-88B, AGM-84H SLAM-ER, AGM-154A/B JSOW, CBU-105 SFW, SPICE.

The official name of the modernization project is "Peace Onyx-III". Peace Onyx-I was the joint production of 180 F-16C/D Block 30/40 Fighting Falcon's in Turkey, TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries), Peace Onyx-II was the production of 80 F-16C/D Block 50's. There was a project for additional 24-32 F-16's in late 90's (attrition replacement and recce versions) but it was abandoned due to financial problems.

Currently 217 F-16's are flying with Turkish Air Force. There are plans to replace the N/F-5A/B's of aerobatics team "Turk Yildizlari" (Turkish Stars) with F-16's in the near future.

Lockheed Martin Wins $1.1B Turkish Deal

By AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ANKARA

U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin will modernize the Turkish army’s F-16 aircraft fleet for $1.1 billion (847.5 million euros) under an agreement reached between Ankara and Washington, Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said April 26.

“This agreement is the best proof that our relations are on track,” Gonul told reporters, referring to recent tensions between the two NATO allies stemming mainly from differences over Iraq.

The agreement covers the modernization of 117 planes, with an option of 100. Lockheed Martin will begin the project in July and is expected to complete it by 2012, Gonul said, adding that the Turkish military was planning to use its F-16 fleet until the 2040s.

The agreement also envisages offset deals and sub-contracts to be handed out to Turkish companies, worth about $400 million, he said.

U.S. Ambassador Eric Edelman hailed the agreement as beneficial for both Turkey and the United States.

“This program will make the F-16 fleet more capable, operating in the modern aviation environment,” he told reporters at a joint news conference.

“That’s a benefit to Turkey, that’s a benefit to the United States because we want to be able to have a strong Turkish ally with us in NATO and operating with us wherever else we may have to operate around the world,” he said.

The agreement follows unprecedented tensions in bilateral ties since the U.S.-led attack on Iraq, Turkey’s southern neighbor, in March 2003.

Ankara stunned Washington just before the invasion when its parliament rejected a U.S. request to use Turkish territory for a planned thrust into Iraq from the north.

The traditionally close ties between the two countries were also strained by U.S. reluctance to take military action against Turkish Kurd rebels hiding in northern Iraq.

Earlier this month, Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer paid an official visit to Syria, defying U.S. pressure on Ankara to keep its distance from a country which Washington sees as a threat to the Middle East.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=809386&C=america

[Webmaster]

The contract with Lockheed hasn't been signed yet, this was just a Letter of Offer and Acceptance between the two nations.

[orko_8]

Oops, my bad (contract = LoA)   

Press release of LM: http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=16728&rsbci=0&fti=111&ti=0&sc=400

[Webmaster]

Didn't see my news post on the main page? 

[orko_8]

@ RecceJet,

Hope there isn't a CCRP project somewhere else

@ Webmaster,

This was because of me thinking in Turkish. We simply say contract = agreement was signed. But there is a "little" difference..

By the way, latest news: Prime Minister Erdogan visited Israel the other day. One of the issues was Turkish - Israeli military relations and Turkey's possible procurement of Arrow-II ATBM's and Popeye-II AGM's. Turkish Air Force currently operates Popeye-I's with her upgraded F-4E's, the F-4E 2020 Terminator's. Popeye-II'S are planned for modernized F-16's, but there is not a firm decision yet.

[orko_8]

Turkey To Fund More Lockheed F-16 Upgrades

By UMIT ENGINSOY, WASHINGTON And BURAK EGE BEKDIL, ANKARA
After securing an agreement with the United States for the upgrade of 117 Turkish Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft by U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, Turkish officials said Ankara also wants to modernize the service’s remaining 100 jets under a follow-up deal to be signed next year.

The U.S. and Turkish governments April 26 signed in Ankara a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for the systems upgrade of Turkish F-16 Fighting Falcons at an estimated total value of $1.1 billion. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Fort Worth, Texas, will be the principal contractor for the program. Under the arrangement, Turkey has an option until December 2006 to order the upgrade of the remaining 100 F-16s.

“We will definitely exercise that option to have all our F-16s modernized, and earmark funds for the second upgrade program,” said a senior Turkish procurement official. “F-16 modernization is a top priority for our Air Force and our armed forces.”

Defense analysts in Ankara suggested that the follow-up upgrade program could be worth around $700 million.

The LOA signature clears the way for contract negotiations to begin with the industry participants.

The long-lead contract with Lockheed Martin, maker of the F-16, is expected to be signed in July, Lockheed Martin officials said.

“For this program, it starts with 80 aircraft, 76 of which are Block 50s and four are Block 40s. Then we add 37 Block 30s. So it is a total of 117 airplanes,” said Jerry Jones, an Ankara-based Lockheed Martin vice president for Turkish programs.

The government-to-government deal will be financed through Foreign Military Sale loans, a form of U.S. government credit designed to support sales of U.S. military equipment to allied and friendly countries.
The estimated value of Lockheed’s portion in the Turkish upgrade program is about $800 million, said a Lockheed statement.

Turkish and Lockheed Martin officials also confirmed Turkey’s plans to use the upgraded F-16s as a stop-gap solution until the next-generation Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), or F-35, enters the Turkish Air Force’s inventory in upcoming decades.

“We don’t anticipate that Turkey will buy any additional F-16s,” Jones said. “They [Turkey] are already a member of the JSF program. So as the F-16s begin to use up their structural life, the JSFs will replace them.”
Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said the upgrade program would keep the Turkish F-16 fleet in service until 2040, but experts are skeptical. One Turkish industry source said one rational expectation would be to see the upgraded aircraft in service until 2025.

Turkey is one of the eight allied members of the U.S.-led JSF program, agreeing to pay $175 million for partnership in the project’s ongoing system development and demonstration phase. The high-tech, next-generation fighter jet is the largest contract in the U.S. Defense Department’s history, worth more than $200 billion. Lockheed Martin is leading the work to build more than 3,000 supersonic F-35s; the plane is expected to be operable toward the end of this decade.

Turkish officials earlier said the country could buy around 100 F-35s.

Experience Pays Off

Lockheed Martin officials said Turkey’s F-16 upgrade would be inexpensive because it would make use of experience gained in earlier U.S. modernization programs.

“The Turkish Air Force is taking advantage of a cost-effective upgrade program to their F-16s,” said June Shrewsbury, Lockheed’s vice president for F-16 programs. “This program is based on a similar approach by the U.S. Air Force. Therefore, much of the design and development effort has already been accomplished, and our task will be to address unique aspects of the Turkish configuration.”

The configuration to be integrated consists of the APG-68(V)9 multimode radar, currently being installed on new Advanced Block 50/52 F-16s; color cockpit displays and recorders; new core avionics processors; Link 16, a modern communications data link; advanced interrogator-transponder; integrated precision navigation; a unique electronic warfare system; and compatibility with a number of new weapons and targeting systems, according to the Lockheed Martin statement.

Turkish procurement officials said the Block-30 modernization would be limited to an avionics and electronics upgrade, plus some essentials, while the emphasis would be on the Block 50s, more modern versions of the F-16.

For Turkey’s part, “our own defense industry also will greatly benefit from this deal,” Gonul said.

“The aircraft modifications will be performed by Tusas Aerospace Industries, which will help sustain the Turkish industrial base.” Shrewsbury said.

Under a $4.2 billion contract with Lockheed Martin in the late 1980s, Turkey created Tusas Aerospace Industries (TAI) to co-manufacture 160 F-16s at its Akinci plant near Ankara. TAI co-produced another 80 aircraft for the Turkish Air Force under a $2 billion contract in 1992. The last Turkish F-16 was manufactured in 1999.

So far, 23 Turkish F-16s have crashed in various accidents, including four Block 50s, 16 Block-40s and three Block 30s, reducing the number of aircraft to be upgraded to 217.

The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency last October notified the U.S. Congress of the planned sale to Turkey of the F-16 modernization package and associated equipment and services. Congress approved the plan Oct. 23.

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?F=828599&C=europe

[Webmaster]

When was the first Turkish F-16 delivered?

[orko_8]

The first F-16 was delivered to TuAF on October 22nd, 1987 (Serial number:86-0066). First 8 aircraft of Peace Onyx project (a total of 180 F-16C/D Block-30/40's) were directly purchased from USA. PO-I was completed on July 27th, 1995. Peace Onyx-II consisted of 80 F-16C/D Block-50's. They were delivered between 1996 and 1999.

[Webmaster]

LOCKHEED MARTIN RECEIVES CONTRACT TO START UPGRADE PROGRAM FOR TURKEY'S F-16S
FORT WORTH, Texas , July 20, 2005 --

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] received a long-lead contract, valued at approximately $67.7 million, from the U.S. Air Force to begin development of a major systems upgrade of Turkish Air Force F-16 aircraft. The total contract is valued at approximately $800 million and is expected to be issued in mid-2006.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=16994&rsbci=0&fti=111&ti=0&sc=400