Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler shared the latest situation in the F-35 and F-16 procurement processes, the delivery schedule of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, and the technical details of ready procurement projects on the Oman–Qatar line.
Meeting with media representatives at the annual evaluation meeting held at the Ministry of National Defense (MoND), Yaşar Güler made important statements regarding inventory updates that will shape the next 10 years of the Turkish Air Force.
F-35 and F-16: CAATSA and the Diplomatic Process
Minister Güler stated that they do not foresee a problem in the F-16 procurement, but that the main priority is returning to the F-35 program or receiving the rights. Güler expressed his expectation for the removal of CAATSA sanctions during the new administration period in the United States and noted that technical working groups continue their work on this issue.
Eurofighter Typhoon: 2030–2032 Delivery Schedule
Within the framework of the agreement reached with the United Kingdom, the delivery years for the 20 newly produced Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to be purchased were shared this clearly for the first time:
2030: 6 units
2031: 8 units
2032: 6 units
Ready Procurement from Qatar and Oman: Emphasis on AESA and National Software
Minister Güler also touched upon the technical details of the talks conducted with Qatar and Oman in order to rapidly meet inventory needs:
Qatar: Aircraft with very few flight hours will be taken over as a “package” together with all munitions and ground equipment.
Oman and Modernization: Stating that the 12 aircraft to be procured from Oman will be modernized before entering the inventory, Güler announced that the aircraft will be equipped with AESA Radar, Meteor missile firing capability, and current avionics systems, and that this process will be completed in 2028.
Domestic Integration: Güler emphasized that national software and domestic munitions developed by the Turkish defense industry will be used on all Eurofighter aircraft to be procured, and stated that efforts are ongoing for domestic solutions more advanced than the Meteor missile.
Source: C4Defence
