Turkey delivers Modernised F-16 aircraft to PakistanFebruary 8, 2012
ANKARA (Anadolu Agency): Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc (TUSAS) delivered three modernised F-16 aircraft to Pakistan, Turkey's Anadolu Agency (AA) reported.
The aircraft, belonging to the Pakistani Air Forces, were modernised in Turkey, and delivered to Pakistan at a ceremony on Wednesday.
Turkish Defence Industry Undersecretary Murad Bayar said that so far Turkey and Pakistan have successfully cooperated in tactics, radio, electronic war and training test centre and military information systems.
Pakistani Deputy Commander of Air Forces Gen Asim Suleiman said that Pakistan's air defence became more successful with the aircraft which were modernised in structural and avionic aspects.
Pakistani Ambassador to Turkey Muhammad Shaukat Haroon said that the project was a sign of friendship and unity of powers between Turkey and Pakistan.
TUSAS, by competing with other F-16 manufacturing companies, has been selected as the contractor, in the tender of Pakistan Air Force F-16 Modernisation (Peace Drive II) Programme and signed a contract with Pakistan Ministry of Defence in June 2009.
Under the programme, TUSAS's engineers and technicians perform avionics and structural modernisation of a total of 41 F-16 aircraft that are in the inventory of Pakistan Air Force (PAF). The test flights of each modernised aircraft were also performed by TUSAS's F-16 Test Pilots.
The Peace Drive II programme, which started in October 2010, is scheduled to be completed by September 2014. The required parts, material and technical data were furnished to TUSAS in accordance with another contract between the US government and PAF.
Within the scope of the Peace Drive II Programme, TUSAS also provides classroom and on-the-job training to 72 PAF technicians.
Upon completion of their training, the technicians directly participate in the ongoing modernisation activities at TUSAS.
TUSAS, which was established for co-production of F-16 aircraft for the Turkish Air Force in 1984, is one of the major aerospace companies in the world for F-16 manufacturing and modernisation backed with its experience, capabilities and manpower capacity.
After manufacturing and delivering a total of 272 F-16s, TUSAS, which has successfully completed avionics and structural modernisation of F-16s of the Royal Jordanian Air Force, is currently modernising 175 F-16s of the Turkish Air Force.
TUSAS is the centre of technology in design, development, manufacturing, integration of aerospace systems, modernisation and after sales support in Turkey.
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