Decision to Order F-35s Reached at the SSIK Meeting
SSIK meeting has gathered at the beginning of May With important agenda items, the SSIK meeting again adopted important decisions under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Recep Erdoğan.
In order to meet the new generation fighter aircraft requirement of the Turkish Armed Forces, Turkey, as a member of the consortium beginning with the phase in Concept Development in 1999 and participating in the F-35 Joint Strike Force (JSF) Project by utilising the production and assembly capabilities of the local industry at a maximum level, the point reached as of now was the first item on the agenda of the SSIK. As a result of the review of the situation, the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM) was given the authority to reorder the first two F-35A aircraft with a Block 3F configuration within the coverage of the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP 10). Having previously cancelled the two aircraft order, Turkey had waited for the completion of the maturation of the software. The F-35 aircraft delivered up to now has the Block 2A software. The 2B software package to be used on more advanced weapon systems is still being tested by Lockheed Martin. While in the previous version, avionic capabilities, such as MADL, VMF and Link-16 were offered on a limited basis, the Block 3F will be offered with an increase in full capability. Again while the previous version of Block 3i had a limited ammunition firing envelope, in this configuration there is no limitation. The Block 3F will be equipped with more advanced weapon systems compared to the previous configurations and missiles such as the AIM-9X, AGM-154 and the JSOW can be deployed on the Block 3F. It has been indicated that currently 41 percent of the Block 3F software has been completed. According to the existing project calendar announced by the JPO, tests on the weapon integration of the Block 3F configuration are to be completed towards the end of 2017 and become fully operational during the first months of 2018. After the completion of these tests, Turkey will receive the order placed for the two F-35s during the same year. On the other hand, work on modifications to the integration of the Stand-off Missile (SOM) for the 100 F-35 aircrafts that Turkey previously committed to buy are still continuing. During the first phase, the SOM missiles for the two Block 3F configuration will not be integrated but that after the completion of the integration between 2020 and 2024, the Block 4 configuration to replace the Block 3F will include these modifications for the integration of the SOM missile.
A Final Engine Assembly Line and a Maintenance Facility to be Established in Turkey
On the other hand, the SSM was additionally given the authority to conduct work on the establishment of a final engine assembly line and a depot level maintenance facility within the Air Force Command relating to the F-135 engine. With these two facilities, Turkey aims to provide services to all F-35 users in the region.
The other decisions reached at the SSIK meeting was the commencement of contract negotiations with TAI on the Preliminary Design Stage of the Göktürk Satellite Renovation Project with Selah Makine ve Gemicilik Endüstri Ticaret A.Ş. within the coverage of the Logistic Support Project of the Naval Forces Command; with Ares Tersanecilik Sanayi ve Ticaret Şirketi A.Ş. on the Underwater Offence Team Boats for the Special Operations Team Forces and with the Savunma Teknolojileri Mühendislik ve Ticaret A.Ş. for the acquisition of the main propulsion system for the third and fourth ships under the Milgem Project.
No Decision yet on the T-LORAMIDS Programme
No decision was reached at the meeting relating to the future of the T-LORAMIDS programme that has been occupying the agenda of Turkey and the world. The only subject related to the project was the briefing of SSIK members on the current situation This programme is expected to be taken up again and a decision reached in a meeting to take place in the next few months. Within the coverage of this programme, in a SSIK meeting that took place in September 2013, it was decided to start contract negotiations with the Chinese company CPMEIC. However, a complete agreement could not be reached between the parties in the ensuing eight month period. The bids put forth by the companies participating in the tender were found not to be at the expected level and in particular not agreeing on the complete technology transfer led to a delay in the final decision to be adopted on the programme. In addition, in the light of these developments, it is being rumoured that Turkey will put on the table the other alternatives in the coming year. Among these alternatives is for the programme to be developed nationally by the Turkish defence industry, as was the case with the ALTAY programme model, and to receive consulting services from an overseas firm or country on the question of critical technologies.
Feasibility Studies for the FX Programme Continues
Another topic that is expected to be taken up by the SSIK, but is not yet on the agenda, is the FX National Fighter Aircraft Programme. It has been indicated that the feasibility work on the FX programme is still on-going. The choice of the engine in the FX programme is a decisive factor. On this issue, the decision as to whether to select a single engine or a dual engine is of significant importance. It has been stated that negotiations with global engine manufacturers among which are Eurojet Turbo, GE, Pratt&Whitney, Safran Snecma and Rosoboronexport have commenced and that proposals will be received by 30 June 2014. On the other hand, aside from the choice of the engine, the idea of working with a foreign partner in the platform development stage is still being looked upon favourably.
