President of Defence Industry Agency (SSB) Professor İsmail Demir stated that the first F-16 Blok 30 ÖZGÜR Aircraft, modernised with the ÖZGÜR Project, was delivered to the Turkish Air Force (TurAF).
Professor Demir said, “We have delivered our first F-16s, which our defence industry has freed up with domestic and national systems. From now on, our F-16s will continue to serve our Air Force with much more advanced capabilities and modernised.”
Within the framework of the ÖZGÜR Project, national ammunition, electro-optical systems and avionics will be integrated into the F-16 warplanes. The national mission computer and operational flight software developed for this purpose were integrated into the F-16. In addition to these components, several critical avionics systems entered the Turkish Air Force inventory together with the F-16 ÖZGÜR aircraft.
Turkiye had requested 79 F-16 Block 70 modernisation kits from the USA. With the ÖZGÜR Project, all remaining F-16s will be modernised with ÖZGÜR. On the other hand, MURAD AESA Radar, under development, is expected to be integrated into aircraft.
