Bloomberg claimed that Turkiye is downsizing the $23 billion defence contract planned with the U.S. to modernise its F-16 fighter jet fleet. The report indicated that Turkiye wants to make an off-set agreement for the local production of some fighter jet parts to reduce costs.
After Turkiye approved Sweden's NATO membership, the U.S. approved Turkiye's purchase of 40 brand-new F-16 Vipers, 79 modernisation kits, and many missiles. Turkish sources who spoke in Bloomberg's report and did not disclose their names said that Turkiye is trying to buy fewer modernisation kits and ammunition to save billions of dollars due to financial cuts. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that the issue of spare parts was on the agenda at a press conference held in Washington yesterday.
Turkiye has Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ) facility to produce F-16 Vipers under licence. This facility was formed as TAI to produce General Dynamics’s F-16 Fighting Falcon. The company even had an F-16 at TAI Logo. Turkiye also has two Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul facilities in Ankara as TUSAŞ and Defence Ministry's 1st Air Maintenance Factory Directorate in Eskişehir related to ASFAT. Both facilities are eligible to conduct MLU and modernisation upgrades. TAI has produced F-16 for Egypt and conducted modernisation programmes for Pakistan and Jordan.
Even though the numbers were not finalised, Turkiye was expecting to share the workload between these two facilities. On the other hand, TurDef has confirmed that the negotiations are ongoing, even though the formal process is completed. This ongoing dialogue allows Turkiye to negotiate the aircraft and modernisation kit number as well as systems, as long as Turkiye’s requests do not overtop the existing $ 23 billion deal. This continuous negotiation process keeps the audience engaged and part of the decision-making process. If Turkiye's requests exceed the $23 billion package, an amendment request must follow the approval process.
On the other hand, Turkiye runs the Özgür Project to modernise its existing fleet with local content. In case Bloomberg’s claims over modernisation kits proved to be accurate, this would mean that the Turkish Air Force would have more F-16s under the Özgür Project as the modernisation programme would be transferred to TUSAŞ and ASELSAN.
Editor’s Note: Our esteemed readers may find TurDef’s recent work attached as a PDF about the 1st Air Maintenance Factory Directorate in Eskişehir. We are grateful to Turkiye's oldest English publication, Defence Turkey Magazine, for their cooperation in designing the PDF.
