The Minister of National Defense, Vecdi Gönül, General Aydo?an Babao?lu, Commander of the Turkish Air Force, the Undersecretary of the SSM, Murad Bayar, Sedat Güldo?an, Director of the SSM Department of Air Vehicles, General (Retired) Engin Alan, General Director of TSKGV (Turkish Armed Forces Foundation), General Atalay Efeer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of TUSA?, General (Retired) Hayrettin Uzun, Chairman of the Board of Directors of HAVELSAN, Muharrem Dörtka?l?, General Manager of TUSA?, Faruk Yarman, General Manager of HAVELSAN and other high ranking military and civilian officials participated in the ceremony.

In a speech delivered on the occasion, Minister Gönül stated that TUSA? and HAVELSAN by proving themselves in the areas of F-16 modernization and simulator technologies had become one of the few centers in the world in this area and added: “Having successfully completed many simulator projects for the Turkish Armed Forces, HAVELSAN has now reached the final acceptance stage of the Helsim Project in the development of the simulators for the Sikorsky helicopters. The contracts for the simulators for the Cougar helicopter of the Land Forces Command and for the T-38 and KT-1 aircrafts of the Air Force Command were signed between HAVELSAN and the SSM in the previous months.”

Stating that within the coverage of the F-16 modernization, TUSA?, as the main contractor together with the means and capabilities of the First Air Supply and Maintenance Center Command would modernize 165 F-16s, and Minister Gönül went on to say, “With the manufacture of 30 new F-16 block 50 jets at the facilities of TUSA?, a modern fleet of F-16s with a joint configuration will have been created. Together with the JSF jets that will be included in the inventory in the next 10 years, the future combat structure of the Air Force Command will thus have been completed. With the simulators to be developed under the F-16 Simulators Project, the Air Force Command will possess the latest technology that can simulate real time flight at a very high level. In this way the training activities for all modern munitions within the inventory of the Air Force Command, in addition to the developed aerodynamics and avionics of the F-16s, will take place.”

Gönül stated that it also is a source of pride in knowing that an important part of these projects will be realized with the resources of the domestic industry.

After thanking those who contributed to the development of these projects, Gönül concluded by saying that, “In particular, the efforts made by our Air Force Commander General Aydo?an Babao?lu since the time he was a lieutenant general has led the Air Force Command to reach this stage under his command of the Air Force.”

Air Force Commander General Aydo?an Babao?lu stating that with the modernization of the F-16 fleet through this modernization project, a new level of being able to use modern avionics together with smart munitions has been reached. “In this way, the Air Force Command will have the capabilities of having developed and continuing to be one of the most advanced air forces in the region as well as in the world,” he stated.
In his speech on the occasion of the signing of the F-16 modernization series assembly project and the F-16 simulator supply contracts, Aydo?an Babao?lu stated that during this period the Air Force Command had renewed itself through many modernization and supply projects and has rapidly advanced in possessing more powerful and modern weapon systems.

Indicating that he will shortly relieve his Air Force Command, Babao?lu said that this ceremony had a different meaning for him and that seeing the signing of these two contracts was a source of pride and joy for him.

Explaining that with this project the F-16 fleet would be modernized and reach the level of modern avionics as well as the use of smart munitions, Babao?lu went on to add that, “In this way, the Air Force Command will have the capabilities of having developed and continuing to be on of the most advanced air forces in the region as well as in the world.”

Touching on the importance of the F-16 simulator supply project, Babao?lu stated that the acquisition of modern simulators was an “absolute must” for an air force and that it was not always possible on an aircraft at all times which would now be possible for certain training and that most importantly various training programs would take place on ground at “zero risk.”

The Undersecretary of the SSM, Murad Bayar, said that the signing phase had been reached with TUSA? for the F-16 Block 40 and 50 models modernization under the inventory of the Air Force Command and that the modernization of the training simulators and aids for the Block 50 F-16s that will enter the inventory of the Air Force Command in the period to follow had also reached a similar stage with HAVELSAN. The activities under the design stage of the modernization project within the coverage of the Onyx-III Project carried out by the Ministry of National Defense and the pilot application for 10 of the F-16s were being carried out by TUSA? as the main contractor and added, “Within this modernization framework, the task computers will be exchanged with new generation modular task computers, its radar will be updated, an electronic warfare system that has been developed locally will be integrated and ASELSAN manufactured INS/GPS equipment will be used.”

Within the coverage of the F-16 Simulator Project, Bayar went on to add, four (plus one option) F-16C full task simulators, twelve weapon and tactical trainers, one forward air control trainer and one tactical monitoring center will be installed at the simulation centers to be built at Ak?nc?, Band?rma, Bal?kesir and D?yarbak?r and that these simulation centers would provide a very high level of operational training activities. Bayar also added that TUTA? and HAVELSAN, as the main contractors, would realize 90% of the modernization of 165 F-16s and 50% of the F-16 simulator centers at these training bases which is a high industrial participation and offset ratio.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of TUSA?, Atalay Efeer, indicated that they were very proud to be chosen as the “main contractor” of the F-16 series modernization project as an important component of the operational activities of the Air Force Command.

Efeer stated that they were not alone in this project and that they had undertaken extensive cooperation in the past with the First Air Supply and Maintenance Center Command in various air force projects and would continue their close cooperation under the F-16 Series Modernization Project. Efeer mentioned the activities that they were carrying out overseas and stated that, “Aside from the domestic and international F-16 modernization projects, the manufacture of additional new generation and high level technology for the F-16s by TUSA? for our Air Force increases the strength and importance of TUSA? among military aviation firms in the world.”

Hayrettin Uzun, the Chairman of the Board of HAVELSAN, stated that their level of expertise in modifications, operations and maintenance activities in the simulator technology field, has today moved to design and manufacture infrastructure system and, not only with simulator systems but also with simulator training centers, HAVELSAN had reached the competence to provide turnkey solutions. Uzun further added that they were one of three companies in the world that have a D level certificate in helicopter simulators and that HAVELSAN not only manufactures simulators that is focused on technology exports but is among the world’s leading companies that export simulators.



The F-16 Modernization Series Assembly Project is at present in the nature of the continuation of the 10 aircraft PO III F-16s Modernization Project by the Turkish Aerospace Industries Inc. (TUSA?). As a result of the prototype development on the ten aircraft within this project, the modernization kits that will be finalized will be later applied to all F-16 Block 40 and 50 configurations of the assembly series programs within the inventory of the Air Force Command.

This project to be implemented by the Undersecretariat of the Defense Industries is planned to commence during the fourth quarter of 2010 and completed during the end of the mid-2014. While a large part of the aircrafts under this program will be modernized at the facilities of TUSA?, the remaining F-16s will be modernized by the Air Force Command personnel at the First Air Supply and Maintenance Center Command facilities with TUSA? as the main contractor and the trainer under this project’s coverage. In this way a synergy is expected to be created through the joint work of the user and the company.

Under this Project, the F-16s of the Air Force Command will be equipped with exceptionally effective and strong, advanced technological avionics and weapon systems.

A similar modification took place under a different program for the F-16s of the Royal Jordanian Air Force and under a contract signed on June 2009 with Pakistan for their F-16s, thus making TUSA? a leading company in the world in this area.

With its existing experience and know-how, it is assumed that important duties wait TUSA? in the near future in possible avionic modernization requirements of F-16s which forms an important component of many air forces throughout the world.

Alone with the F-16 Simulator Project to be carried out by HAVELSAN, F-16C aircraft simulators and training aids will be procured for the F-16 Training Centers to be built at Ankara, Diyarbak?r, Band?rma and Bal?kesir.

Full Task Simulators that will be developed under this project will:

1. Simulate all of the aerodynamic, avionic, radar, pod, electronic warfare, weapons and communications etc. systems.

2. Simulate the nearest real time flight and provide a visual system at that level.

3. Possess numerical map use.

4. Possess a network between similar and different simulators at various bases thus
providing joint training activities.


Having started its expertise in modifications, operations and maintenance in simulator technology, today HAVELSAN has carried this one step forward to design and manufacture of infrastructure systems and has not only sufficed with simulator systems but also with the ability to provide turnkey solutions including simulator training centers. Among the simulator projects that HAVELSAN has realized up to the present time are the Electronic Warfare Training Simulator for the Naval Forces Command, the Artillery Forward Surveillance and Mortar Simulator for the Land Forces Command, the F-4E/2020 Flight and Weapon Systems Training Simulators and the CN-235 Full Flight Simulator for the Air Force Command and the Blackhawk and Seahawk Full Test Simulators for the Land Forces and the Naval Forces Commands. In addition, the Artillery Forward Monitoring Simulator developed for the Pakistani Army and the CN-235 Full Flight Simulator for the Republic of Korea Air Force are among the important projects of HAVELSAN.

With this project HAVELSAN will be among the few world-wide companies to have designed and manufactured F-16 simulators and will strengthen its global market position thereby maintaining an important place in the world F-16 simulation market.