Image source: topwar.ru
The Turkish defense company Aselsan presented a radar with an active phased array antenna (AFAR), developed in-house within the framework of the OZGUR project. It is planned to equip F-16 fighters of the Turkish Air Force and Akinci attack drones with this onboard radar.
At the moment, it is planned to modernize 35 F-16 Block 30 aircraft (out of 43 in operation), equipping them with new radar, avionics and other auxiliary systems. Along with the modification of Block 30, 117 Block 40 and 110 Block 50 are serving in the Air Force, but these versions are not subject to modernization, since there is source code only for the Block 30 iteration.
- noted in the publication Aviation Online.
Along with plans to modernize the fighter fleet on its own, Ankara is counting on Washington's help. As President Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted, in connection with the US congressional elections, he hopes to resolve this issue in the near future: Turkey is seeking approval by the US authorities of a program to improve 40 F-16 Block 70 and 79 F-16 Block 40/50+ fighters to the Block 70 level.
