Interview from SavunmaSanayiIST.
Within the scope of the F-16 Block 30 Structural Improvement Project initiated by the Presidency of Defense Industries in 2015, TAI continues its work successfully. With the project, the flight life of F-16 Block 30 warplanes, which reached 7000 flight hours as of 2016, is increased from 8,000 hours to 12,000 hours.
Bahadır SANALAN, who served as the F-16 Structural Modernization Program Manager at TAI, made the following statement on the subject:
“The Block 30 aircraft we currently have are the oldest F-16 aircraft in the Air Force's inventory. Therefore, they are in need of structural renovation at the moment. Within the scope of this project, we only carry out the structural modernization of Blok 30 aircraft, and we do not carry out any avionic modernization.
In these aircraft, we check the parts that need to be checked, replace the parts that need to be replaced, and repair or strengthen the parts that need to be repaired.
Lockheed Martin produces the structural parts, namely the kits, for this project. We are currently producing some parts such as wing upper panel, wing lower panel and front spar. We attach these parts to the planes and the structural modernization is done.
Under the program, we will modernize 35 aircraft. We have now completed and delivered 6 of them. One is currently awaiting delivery and we currently have 8 planes. Repairs continue on them as well.”
According to the information obtained; Activities within the scope of the F-16 Structural Improvement Project are planned to be completed by 2023.
TUSAŞ, F-16 Yapısal İyileştirme Projesini başarıyla sürdürüyor. Proje kapsamında, F-16 Blok 30 savaş uçakları modernize ediliyor ve uçuş ömürleri arttırılıyor.
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