WASHINGTON and ANKARA - The Turkish Air Force, whose main combat activity these days is the low-intensity, asymmetric battle against Kurdish separatists, sees no near-term threat of air-to-air combat. Still, its modernization efforts run largely to conventional weapons aimed at maximizing firepower and deterrence.
"Because of the PKK situation, the Air Force presently has an attack role in air-to-surface terms, and this is expected to remain in place as long as the PKK threat continues," one Ankara defense analyst said. "But in general, the Air Force strategy is designed to defend the homeland, and doesn't have a power projection agenda in its region."
Turkey's latest national security threat paper, published in 2006, portrays Iran and neighboring northern Iraq, where the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is based, as potential threats, but says air-to-air combat is unlikely.
Greece, Turkey's NATO ally and former foe in the Aegean, also is seen as a distant but still possible threat. But the two neighbors' greatly improved ties over the past 10 years, and the fact that Greece is a member of the European Union, which Turkey hopes to join eventually, makes a sustained air conflict highly unlikely.
Turkey has a considerably strong Air Force in its region and attaches top priority to the modernization of its fighter fleets. It operates more than 210 F-16s and more than 140 older F-4Es and F-5s. Most of these aircraft already are under upgrade or modernization programs.
Under an agreement with the United States and Lockheed Martin, which leads an international consortium, Turkey plans to buy 100 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II aircraft worth some $11 billion after 2015. As a stopgap solution, the Air Force will receive within five years 30 Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 50 fighters worth more than $1.8 billion.
Most of Turkey's existing F-16s will continue flying well into the 2030s. Fifty-two of the Air Force's F-4Es have been modernized in cooperation with Israel. But earlier plans to modernize an additional 48 F-4E fighter-bombers were dropped to buy the new F-16s.
In addition to peacetime duties, the Air Force uses its fighter aircraft to attack PKK targets on Turkish territory and, with U.S. intelligence support since December, inside northern Iraq. In the foreseeable future, the Air Force's air-to-ground operations are expected to be its main warfare activity.
"In the case of an unlikely confrontation with Iran, Turkey relies on the superiority of its Air Force," the analyst said.
The Air Force mostly meets its need for air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions from the United States through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) deals, although there are increasing efforts to buy from domestic sources.
The Turkish Air Force recently has taken delivery of I-Hawk surface-to-air missile batteries from the United States through an FMS arrangement, replacing its obsolete Nike Hercules systems. Authorization also has been given to buy medium- and high-altitude air defense systems that could also shoot down tactical ballistic missiles, suggesting an upcoming competition between U.S. Patriot-based systems and Russian S-300s or S-400s.
In what Turkish officials call the war against PKK terrorism, Ankara says it lacks advanced UAVs. The military has a few UAVs, including some leased from Israel.
The Air Force expects to receive before the end of 2008 the first of 10 Heron UAV systems from Israel, but deliveries already have been delayed for more than a year. There also are plans for some locally made UAVs for the Air Force.
The Air Force's strategic reconnaissance will get a boost when the country selects the winner in its first military observation satellite program, called Gokturk. British, German and Italian companies are vying for the contract, worth more than $250 million. The satellite should be launched in 2011 or 2012.
Turkish officials see a planned acquisition of airborne early warning and control aircraft from Boeing as a major force multiplier for the Air Force. There is more than a two-year delay in deliveries, and the systems now are expected to begin entering service in 2009 or 2010. The planes also may assume NATO-related roles.
On transport capabilities, 13 C-130 aircraft are being modernized locally, and a gap to be left by the retirement of C-160s should be filled by the arrival of A400Ms in 2009 or 2010 under a joint European program.
Turkey has 10 planes on order. However, the C-130s are going through avionics modernization only, and the Air Force may consider replacement transport aircraft in the not-too-distant future, procurement officials said.
"Because of the PKK situation, the Air Force presently has an attack role in air-to-surface terms, and this is expected to remain in place as long as the PKK threat continues," one Ankara defense analyst said. "But in general, the Air Force strategy is designed to defend the homeland, and doesn't have a power projection agenda in its region."
Turkey's latest national security threat paper, published in 2006, portrays Iran and neighboring northern Iraq, where the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is based, as potential threats, but says air-to-air combat is unlikely.
Greece, Turkey's NATO ally and former foe in the Aegean, also is seen as a distant but still possible threat. But the two neighbors' greatly improved ties over the past 10 years, and the fact that Greece is a member of the European Union, which Turkey hopes to join eventually, makes a sustained air conflict highly unlikely.
Turkey has a considerably strong Air Force in its region and attaches top priority to the modernization of its fighter fleets. It operates more than 210 F-16s and more than 140 older F-4Es and F-5s. Most of these aircraft already are under upgrade or modernization programs.
Under an agreement with the United States and Lockheed Martin, which leads an international consortium, Turkey plans to buy 100 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II aircraft worth some $11 billion after 2015. As a stopgap solution, the Air Force will receive within five years 30 Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 50 fighters worth more than $1.8 billion.
Most of Turkey's existing F-16s will continue flying well into the 2030s. Fifty-two of the Air Force's F-4Es have been modernized in cooperation with Israel. But earlier plans to modernize an additional 48 F-4E fighter-bombers were dropped to buy the new F-16s.
In addition to peacetime duties, the Air Force uses its fighter aircraft to attack PKK targets on Turkish territory and, with U.S. intelligence support since December, inside northern Iraq. In the foreseeable future, the Air Force's air-to-ground operations are expected to be its main warfare activity.
"In the case of an unlikely confrontation with Iran, Turkey relies on the superiority of its Air Force," the analyst said.
The Air Force mostly meets its need for air-to-air and air-to-surface munitions from the United States through Foreign Military Sales (FMS) deals, although there are increasing efforts to buy from domestic sources.
Non-Fighter Purchases
The main threat from Iran might be ground-to-ground missiles. As a result, the Air Force is seeking to boost its surface-based air defenses.The Turkish Air Force recently has taken delivery of I-Hawk surface-to-air missile batteries from the United States through an FMS arrangement, replacing its obsolete Nike Hercules systems. Authorization also has been given to buy medium- and high-altitude air defense systems that could also shoot down tactical ballistic missiles, suggesting an upcoming competition between U.S. Patriot-based systems and Russian S-300s or S-400s.
In what Turkish officials call the war against PKK terrorism, Ankara says it lacks advanced UAVs. The military has a few UAVs, including some leased from Israel.
The Air Force expects to receive before the end of 2008 the first of 10 Heron UAV systems from Israel, but deliveries already have been delayed for more than a year. There also are plans for some locally made UAVs for the Air Force.
The Air Force's strategic reconnaissance will get a boost when the country selects the winner in its first military observation satellite program, called Gokturk. British, German and Italian companies are vying for the contract, worth more than $250 million. The satellite should be launched in 2011 or 2012.
Turkish officials see a planned acquisition of airborne early warning and control aircraft from Boeing as a major force multiplier for the Air Force. There is more than a two-year delay in deliveries, and the systems now are expected to begin entering service in 2009 or 2010. The planes also may assume NATO-related roles.
On transport capabilities, 13 C-130 aircraft are being modernized locally, and a gap to be left by the retirement of C-160s should be filled by the arrival of A400Ms in 2009 or 2010 under a joint European program.
Turkey has 10 planes on order. However, the C-130s are going through avionics modernization only, and the Air Force may consider replacement transport aircraft in the not-too-distant future, procurement officials said.
No comments:
Post a Comment