Türkiye F-16 Fighting Falcon'un en modern konfigürasyonu olan F-16 Blok 70 tedarikini amaçlıyor. Bu yazımızda, F-16 Blok 70'e değineceğiz.
www.savunmasanayist.com
A fairly in depth analysis of prospective f16V70 purchase and upgrade of 79 planes to V70 status of Turkish airforce.
Need to increase numbers of our fleet and whilst doing that bringing the fleet to modern 4++ generation level is understandable.
However, the cost involved and the use of Turkish indigenous systems and capabilities in the manufacturing of new planes and engines, plus fitting the kits in house is of paramount importance.
We can not jeopardise TFX programme’s timeline due to financial constraints . This involves the timely and successful manufacturing of the indigenous engine of TFX.
Having f16V70 planes against F35 planes is not really a balancing act.
WSJ article states:
“The Biden administration is preparing to seek congressional approval for a $20 billion sale of
new F-16 jet fighters to Turkey along with a separate sale of next-generation F-35 warplanes to Greece, in what would be among the largest foreign weapons sales in recent years, according to U.S. officials.”
That means, what they are going to sell to Greece is exempt from the 20 billion dollar deal Turkey has. Now this amount is totally preposterous.
Cost of f16V70 without bells and whistles is around 55-65 million dollars. (Slovakia has agreed to purchase 14 V70 planes for 800million dollars -57million a piece- including full support and spares etc) . Turkey manufacturing engines and parts of the fuselage etc, will mean a lot cheaper than this. In reality the 40 planes should cover the monies owed to us from the F35 deal. If we are purchasing the 160km range Aim120-D a2a missiles, these are 1.1 million each.
Greece paid 2.4 billion for their 120 kits.
No matter what you do and add the arithmetics don’t make sense; Even if we add the 71 Blackhawks license renewal, approximately 110 engines for block 1 MMU, it still doesn’t. Even our 100+ F35 purchase wasn’t worth this much.
As per
@Cabatli_TR ’s above post, we just need to wait and see what is discussed and negotiated at face to face talks.