Turkish Phantom Upgrades

Date Posted: 06-Aug-2004

JANE’S DEFENCE WEEKLY – AUGUST 11, 2004

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Turkey seeks local Phantom upgrade
Lale Sariibrahimoglu JDW Correspondent
Ankara

The Turkish Air Force’s (TAF’s) F-4E Phantom II attack aircraft will be upgraded by local industry under a proposal put forward by Turkey’s Defence Industries Undersecretariat (SSM).

The SSM has written to the Turkish General Staff (TGS) and the Ministry of National Defence (MND) as well as to the Turkish Air Force Command (TAFC) offering to modernise 48 F-4E Phantom IIs with the help of local industry. The TGS has not yet responded to the offer.

IAI upgraded 54 F-4Es to the Phantom 2020 configuration under an agreement, signed in January 1997 and financed under a $700-million Israeli state credit. These aircraft are equipped with AGM-142 Popeye medium-range air-to-ground missiles (AGMs). The first 26 F-4Es were upgraded in Israel and the remaining 28 were upgraded in Turkey at the 1st Air Supply and Maintenance Centre in Eskisehir, near Ankara.

A senior SSM source said a local upgrade of the aircraft to Phantom 2020 configuration was within industry’s capabilities.

“Turkey, in co-operation with Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), modernised 54 F-4Es and 48 F/NF-5A/B Tigers. Additionally, Turkish local contractors have taken responsibility to upgrade some helicopters in Turkey’s inventory,” the source said.

“Turkish local industry should now undertake the engineering integration and upgrade of the additional F-4Es with foreign support only in buying hardware.”

The TGS has already approved the modernisation of the additional F-4Es as well as the procurement of around 20 Israeli Rafael Litening III target designation pods for the TAF’s F-16 and on F-4E aircraft.

IAI’s Lahav Division offered to upgrade an additional 48 F-4E Phantom II multirole fighters in the TAFC inventory.

IAI has suggested the additional modernisation can be funded through an Israeli state credit but the SSM said it would cost around $300 million if done locally compared with $600 million-$700 million with Israeli involvement.

In a further effort to boost its capabilities, the TAFC also wants to fit Litening III pods to its two-seat F-16D as well as modernised F-4E. Due to a shortage of funds, the TAFC reduced its Litening III pods requirement from 40 to 20. The pods are planned to be acquired this year.

RELATED ARTICLES:

‘Turkey offered further F-4E aircraft upgrade’ (JDW 28 April 2004)

Jane’s Aircraft Upgrades – Aircraft fixed wing/military

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