Turkey signs contract to buy 30 F-16 block 50s

Turkey signed a $1.78 billion deal today to buy 30 F-16 Fighting Falcons from Lockheed Martin

Under the deal, part of a wider program to modernise NATO member Turkey's military, the aircraft will be produced, assembled and tested by Turkish aerospace firm Tusas in Ankara.

There were some disagreements earlier on over the price and delivery schedule of the F-16s and over operational restrictions the US imposed on the use of the jets. (see below for related articles)

Turkey's current F-16s were co-produced by Tusas Aerospace Industries in the 1980s and 1990s under two agreements with Lockheed Martin.

Turkey plans to buy the Lockheed-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as its next-generation fighter, and expects to spend nearly $10.7 billion for 100 aircraft over the next 20 years. Under current plans, F-35 deliveries to Turkey should start in 2014. As a stop-gap solution until then, Ankara last year decided to buy 30 advanced F-16 block 50 multi-role fighters.

Last year, Turkey and Lockheed Martin signed a deal modernize at least 117 of their older F-16s, with an option for the upgrade of another 100 platforms.

The US Congress approved earlier this year the sale of an additional 30 advanced F-16 block 50 aircraft as well as associated equipment and services under Foreign Military Sale (FMS) credit to Turkey.


Source : f-16.net -- (by Lieven Dewitte)

(www.f-16.net)
Posted: May 9, 2007

Photo: TuAF F-16C block 50 #93-0658 is turning with a sistership.
[LMTAS photo by Katsuhiko Tokunaga]



(5.11.2007)