Date: Issue 126 - October 2023
The Contract Signing Ceremony for the F-16 Block-30 ÖZGÜR-II and F-16 Block 40/50 ÖZGÜR-II Projects, initiated by the Defense Industry Agency (SSB) to address the modernization requirements of the Turkish Air Force Command, and to be executed by the prime contractor Turkish Aerospace (TUSAŞ), took place with the participation of Prof. Haluk GÖRGÜN, President of SSB, and various military and defense officials.
The projects initiated by the SSB aim to implement structural enhancements and ÖZGÜR modernization across the entire inventory of F-16 Block-30 aircraft, while also expanding the scope of structural and avionic modernizations to F-16 Block-30/40/50 aircraft. Under the F-16 Block-30 ÖZGÜR-II Project, several key objectives are set to be achieved. These include obtaining External Load Certification for various ammunition types, miniature bombs, and the ASELPOD system. Additionally, the project aims to integrate AESA Nose Radar into ÖZGÜR Aircraft, incorporate T Link, IFF BSC, RNE, and 9681 V/UHF airborne radio equipment, and facilitate the integration of Bozdoğan and HGK-82 munitions into the F-16 Block-30 ÖZGÜR Aircraft, which are to be modernized under FEWS and Gökdoğan Integration Project Contract, with the ultimate goal of achieving serial production of the final product.