Turkey Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

Engine Thrust Class: > 2 x 20,000 lbs.
Service Ceiling: > 55,000 ft
Max Speed: Mach 2
Max Range: > 600 nm
MTOW: > 60,000 lbs.
Length: 19 m (60 ft.)
Wing Span: 12 m (39 ft)
Wing Area: ~ 60 m² (670 ft²)

In order to meet Turkish Air Force (TurAF) requirements beyond 2030s, an indigenous design and development program has been launched by the Turkish Government which aims to replace the aging F-16 fleet of TurAF.

Within the scope of TF-X Program, Turkey will become one of the few countries to possess the necessary technologies, engineering infrastructure and production capabilities. Once the engineering activities on all the critical technologies are accomplished (e.g. increased situational awareness, sensor fusion, low observability, weapon bay, …etc), which are needed by a 5th generation (or beyond) jet fighter aircraft.

TF-X aircraft is planned to be kept operational in the TurAF inventory until 2070s and will be interoperable with other critical assets of TurAF such as F-35As.

The TF-X indigenous design and development program prime contract between Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) of Ministry of Turkish National Defence and Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TAI) has been signed on 5th of August 2016.

The timing of this signature alone, is a key demonstrator of Turkey’s determination of running mega-projects uninterruptedly, even under extra-ordinary conditions.

Currently, the prime contract covers the initial four (4) years (starting after signature of major subcontracts) which will end up with completion of preliminary design phase. Within this period beyond the design and development of TF-X Aircraft, engineering capabilities, technology development activities (for key sensors like radar, electronic warfare..etc.), test infrastructures establishment and certification processes will be performed and extensive capabilities for a new generation jet fighter design, development and production will be gained by Turkish industry.

TF-X aircraft will be a multi-role aircraft, it will be designed mainly for air-to-air role with a consideration to air-to-surface roles as well. Upon engineering analysis, TF-X aircraft will be a multi-role aircraft, it will be designed mainly for air-to-air role with a consideration to air-to-surface roles as well. Upon engineering analysis, preliminary calculations, based on received information of suppliers of candidate engines, TF-X aircraft is decided to be a twin engine configuration.

In this regard a Heads of Agreement (HoA) has been signed between TAI and BAE Systems on 28th of January 2017, in the presence of the Prime Ministers of Turkey and the United Kingdom. In addition, the Letter of Agreement (LOA) has been signed during the IDEF 2017. The TAI-BAE Systems Collaboration Agreement was signed and entered in to effect on 25th of August 2017.

One of the key ambition and consideration of SSM and TurAF, which is also shared by Turkish Industry as well, is the exportability of TF-X aircraft to key allies and friendly countries. In this regard, Turkey also welcomes to discuss any opportunities for participation of interested countries in a win-win model to be generated, where similar examples are also seen in different parts of the world.

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erlen said:

No.....Erdogan probably confused S-400 and Eurosam...or only stupid bluff.

Kremlin Declines to Comment on Erdogan's Claim on S-400 Supplies to Turkey

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Russia will supply Turkey with four divisions of S-400 surface-to-air missile divisions for $2.5 billion under a deal that has been almost finalised, Sergei Chemezov, head of Russian state conglomerate Rostec, told the Kommersant daily on Wednesday.

Turkey will pay 45 percent of the cost up front with Russia providing loans to cover the remaining 55 percent, Chemezov said. Moscow expected to begin the first deliveries in March 2020, he said.

The deal has caused concern in the West because Turkey is a member of NATO but the Russian missile system cannot be integrated into NATO’s military architecture. Relations between Moscow and the Western military alliance are fraught.

Chemezov told Kommersant that Turkey was the first NATO member state to acquire the advanced S-400 missile system.

He said the Russian and Turkish finance ministries had already completed talks on financing the deal and that the final documents just needed to be approved.

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Turkey’s Islamist president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has passed new laws granting him full authority over defense procurement and control over Turkey’s top defense companies.

The Dec. 24 decree of a state of emergency forces the country’s procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries, or SSM, to directly report to Erdogan. SSM was previously under the defense minister’s authority.

According to decree No. 696, SSM’s personnel will be appointed with the president’s approval.

The decree also authorizes the president to call for and chair meetings of the Defence Industry Executive Committee, or SSIK, Turkey’s panel that oversees top procurement decisions and national arms programs. The committee’s other members are the prime minister, interior minister, defense minister and chief of the military general staff. SSM will operate the committee’s secretariat. SSIK was previously chaired by the prime minister.

Erdogan has been largely running Turkey with state of emergency decrees after a failed coup in July 2016 that aimed to topple his government. In April, the Turks narrowly voted to pass constitutional amendments that gave Erdogan almost unchecked powers in a new “executive presidential system.” Before the April referendum, the prime minister had the executive powers, while the president had a largely ceremonial role.

After ruling Turkey for 12 years, Erdogan in 2014 was elected as Turkey’s president and has since expanded his powers.

The state of emergency decree No. 696 also brought a critical foundation under the control of Erdogan. The Turkish Armed Forces Foundation, or TSKGV, which owns majority shares in Turkey’s top defense companies, will now report to the president. Before the decree, it reported to the defense minister.

The decree empowers the president to act as chairman of TSKGV’s board. Other board members are the defense minister, deputy chief of the military general staff, undersecretary to the defense minister and SSM’s undersecretary.

Some of the Turkish companies controlled by TSKGV are military electronics specialist Aselsan, Turkey’s largest defense company; Turkish Aerospace Industries; Tusas Engine Industries; missile-maker Roketsan; and military software specialist Havelsan. All of these companies are considered top defense companies in Turkey.

A senior government official from Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party said the decree reflects the president’s notorious interest in the defense industry and indigenous programs.

“It is not a secret that our president views many of our indigenous programs as his pet projects,” he said. “It is not surprising that he has officially taken charge of these programs, as the April referendum gave him the authority to act as an executive president.”

Some industry sources think the new decree will not change much in the way Turkish programs are run.

“The decree only formalizes a de facto situation in which Erdogan was the procurement boss,” a Western company’s Turkey executive said. “From our point of view, there will not be much change.”

Other industry sources expect the decree to boost Erdogan’s involvement in procurement and programs.

“It is true that there was a de facto situation before the decree. But that was an anomaly, legally speaking. Now that that situation is de jure, I think the president will feel more liberty to personally administer critical decisions, especially in milestone programs,” an Ankara-based industry official said.

“This will further centralize decision-making in the Turkish system,” according to a London-based Turkey specialist. “With the procurement and military bureaucracy weakened, the president will run a one-man show.”

However, the government official disagreed. “The president’s decisions on major programs, local or international, will be based on skilfully crafted input and deliberations coming from the procurement and military bureaucracies, sometimes even from the Foreign [Affairs] Ministry,” he said.

Erdogan’s interest in defense procurement and indigenous programs is not new. In 2014, a draft bill empowered then-Prime Minister Erdogan to extend the terms of top brass. The bill meant that the annual reshuffle in top brass underscored a visible shift in power from the generals to civilians in controlling defense procurement.

In the 1990s, Turkish generals had the upper hand in procurement decisions. Since Erdogan rose to power in 2002, the military’s role in politics and procurement has significantly diminished.

With his new powers, Erdogan will now select a contender for the serial production of the Altay, Turkey’s first indigenous main battle tank in the making. He will finalize an emerging deal with Russia for the purchase of four S-400 systems that will make Turkey’s first long-range air and anti-missile defense system. Erdogan also will oversee Turkey’s parallel talks to co-produce a similar air defense architecture with know-how from the European Eurosam consortium, maker of the SAMP/T system.

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Jura said:

here's Reuters (says Updated an hour ago):
Russia to supply Turkey with four S-400 missile divisions for $2.5 billion: Kommersant

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Turkey’s top defense procurement office confirmed Friday that the Ankara and Moscow governments have finalized a contract for the acquisition and deployment of the Russian S-400 long-range air and anti-missile defense system on Turkish soil.

The procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries, or SSM, said in a statement that the contract involves the acquisition of one S-400 system with an option to purchase a second system.

SSM said the delivery of the S-400 system was scheduled for the first quarter of 2020.

“The [S-400] contract has been signed, an advance payment has been made and a financing deal has been penned,” SSM said. “The contract includes a joint development commitment and cooperation for technological know-how.”

SSM added that the S-400 system would be operated by Turkish personnel and would be supported by a locally developed identification friend or foe, or IFF, system.

Meanwhile, SSM said, efforts for the local design and development of an indigenous air and anti-missile defense system will continue.

SSM did not disclose terms of financing and technical details, citing secrecy clauses in the contract.

But on Dec. 25, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would borrow the loan in Russian rubles instead of U.S. dollars so the debt would be less.

“Such a step will be taken for the first time. We will not borrow in dollars, we will borrow in rubles. The Treasury’s debt will therefore be much lower,” Erdogan told reporters on Dec. 27, adding that this amount corresponds to 3 percent of the total debt.

The level of Russian know-how remains to be negotiated. “This is a matter to be discussed at later stages,” one senior SSM official said, refusing to comment on the level of technology transfer Turkey requests.

“We want to make it [the S-400] a standalone system we can operate with our own source codes, including the IFF,” the official said.

Turkey is a NATO member, and its negotiations for the purchase of the Russian system have

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who say the country should invest in technology that is compatible with theirs.

Turkish leaders say it’s up to Turkey to make its own decisions on defense purchases.

NATO officials have warned of “

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” for Turkey should the alliance member purchase the Russian air defense system.

Turkey will have to operate the S-400 on a standalone basis because the system cannot be made interoperable with NATO and U.S. assets deployed in Turkish territory.

“There is no way, technically or politically, the planned Turkish [air defense] architecture could be made interoperable with NATO assets, with or without the [S-400] system being operated by NATO [Turkish] personnel,” a NATO defense attache in Ankara said.

In 2013, Turkey selected China Precision Machinery Import-Export Corporation for its first long-range air and anti-missile program. In 2015, under pressure from its NATO allies, Ankara scrapped that program. Early this year Turkish officials said they were close to a deal with Russia for the procurement of the S-400 system.

In October, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country is also interested in acquiring a future Russian air and anti-missile system, the S-500, which is under development.

SSM’s statement on “efforts for the development of an indigenous long-range air and anti-missile defense system” refers to Turkey’s ongoing talks with the European Eurosam group. Those talks have been progressing since 2016 for the co-production of the SAMP/T air defense system and have matured recently.

The two Turkish prime contractors for the co-production program will be state-controlled military electronics concern Aselsan — Turkey’s largest defense company — and missile-maker Roketsan.

The Turkish program consists of radar, launcher and interceptor missiles. It has been designed to counter enemy aircraft and missiles.

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FORBIN said:

Very good !

Bayraktar class landing ships of the Turkish Navy

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