PICTURE: Turkish air force to get first new F-16 in March

BY ADMINTurkish Aerospace Industries will deliver the Turkish air force's first new Lockheed Martin F-16 during March under the Peace Onyx 4 programme.
A total of 30 new Block 50+ F-16C/Ds will be manufactured in Ankara under a 2007 agreement between Turkey and Lockheed. The first two-seat aircraft covered by the $1.65 billion deal was shown to President Abdullah Gul of Turkey in December.
TAI started manufacturing F-16s in 1987. It had delivered 240 to the Turkish air force by 1998, plus 46 to the Egyptian air force. The company reopened its assembly line for the type in late 2009.
Flightglobal's MiliCAS database lists the Turkish air force as operating 213 F-16C/Ds. Its latest attrition purchase comprises 14 single-seat fighters and 16 trainers.

© Turkish Aerospace Industries