Ankara will not choose between the American plane F-16 Vipermanufactured by Lockheed Martinnor the Eurofighter European. Finally he is going to acquire both. He Turkish Ministry of Defense has revealed that it has made an initial payment for the purchase of 40 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, so the operation is now a reality. He United States Department of State decided to give the green light to this sale at the beginning of the year, for a maximum price estimated at 23,000 million dollars (more than 21,800 million euros), after Washington had been blocking the transaction, due to disagreements over the Turkish acquisition. of anti-aircraft systems S-400 to Russia, which upset its allies in the I’LL TAKE for understanding that in this way the safety of their planes could be endangered.
As an alternative, Ankara chose to negotiate the acquisition of 40 combat aircraft Eurofighterdeveloped by Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy and Spain. In this case, Berlin was vetoing the operation, which it finally gave its approval a few weeks ago.
The future delivery of the F-16which will be added to the fleet of more outdated variants of this model that Türkiye already has, will not, however, prevent the purchase of the same Eurofighter. This is what he pointed out Turkish Defense Minister, Yaşar Gulerto the local chain TV100. The politician has confirmed the signing of the contracts “for the acquisition of 40 aircraft F-16 Viper while announcing that “we will also buy 40 Eurofighter Typhoon”, although in this case you have not specified either the amount that your country must disburse or the delivery schedule.
Almost 80 modernization kits
The Turkish forces already have 270 F-16 C/D in service, with which it forms the pillar of its military aviation. After the failed fighter acquisition agreement F-35which the United States vetoed at the last minute in response to the purchase of Russian missile systems S-400 On the part of Türkiye, Ankara has been seeking to reinforce its fleet with the purchase of the 40 new F-16 that it has finally signed, along with almost 80 modernization kits for as many fighters of this model.
As for the EurofighterThe acquisition of the European aircraft also opens the door to obtaining technological knowledge that can be used in the development of its own combat aircraft. TF-X next generation that Türkiye is now working on.
He Eurofighter It is a device developed by companies Airbus (Germany, France and Spain), BAE Systems (United Kingdom) and Leonardo (Italia).
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Guest 1: Ahmed Erdogan, Defense Analyst at the Turkish Center for Security and Foreign Policy Studies
Interviewer: Thank you for joining us today, Ahmed. Can you provide us with some insights into why Turkey decided to acquire both the F-16 Block 70 from Lockheed Martin and the Eurofighter from a consortium of European countries?
Guest 1: Well, as you mentioned in your question, Turkey had been looking to upgrade its current fleet of F-16s. The Block 70 variant is a newer, more advanced version that offers significant advantages in terms of avionics and weapon systems. However, the acquisition of the S-400 system from Russia had created tensions with Turkey’s NATO allies. The United States had initially blocked the sale of the F-16s due to these concerns. But Turkey found a way to address these concerns by also acquiring the Eurofighter. This decision allows Turkey to maintain strong ties with both the U.S. and European defense industries while still meeting its operational needs.
Interviewer: What about the Eurofighter? What does Turkey hope to gain from acquiring this aircraft?
Guest 1: The Eurofighter brings with it a wealth of advanced technologies that can be applied to Turkey’s own indigenous fighter program, the TF-X. In addition, the aircraft’s avionics and radar systems are highly sought after by Turkey. The country has expressed interest in developing a fifth-generation fighter to replace its aging fleet, and the Eurofighter can provide valuable knowledge and experience in this regard.
Guest 2: Aysun Kutlu, Journalist at Hurriyet Daily News
Interviewer: Thank you for joining us, Aysun. There has been some speculation that Turkey’s decision to acquire both the F-16 and Eurofighter could strain its relations with NATO countries. Do you think this is a valid concern?
Guest 2: That’s certainly a possibility, but it’s not just about NATO. Turkey has to balance its security needs with its alliances and partnerships. By acquiring both the F-16 and Eurofighter, Turkey is showing
