Turkey’s National Combat Aircraft to be Unveiled in March

Turkey’s ambitious National Combat Aircraft (MMU) TF-X will be taken out of the hanger in March 2023 as per schedule, Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) head Ismail Demir said while speaking at the “Defense Industry 2023 Goals” news conference held in Teknopark Istanbul.

He said Turkey’s defense industry is looking forward to reaching its export target of $6 billion (TL 112.53 billion) in 2023, as per Turkish news outlet Daily Sabah.

As per information shared by the SSB, the defense industry's 2023 targets diversified from aviation and space to land vehicles or missiles.

Within the scope of the Özgür project, avionics modernization of current F-16 fighter jets in the country’s inventory will be completed and the aircraft will be delivered to the air forces. The deliveries of the first batch of the Gökbey helicopter will be made to the Gendarmerie General Command. The Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) feature scheduled for deployment with the flagship-to-be Anadolu, will undergo its maiden flight.

With the delivery of the sixth and last P-72 Marine Patrol Aircraft, the Meltem-3 project will be completed.

For naval projects, Turkey will launch the landing helicopter dock (LHD)-type Multi-Purpose Amphibious Assault Ship Anadolu, the largest military ship in the inventory. The Marine Supply Combat Support Ship (DIMDEG) Derya will be delivered to the naval forces.

The Istanbul Frigate, the first of the I Class frigates developed as part of the MİLGEM (National Ship), will be inducted into service. The Piri Reis, the first of the new type of submarines developed domestically, will also be put into service.

As part of land vehicle projects, Turkey will make the first delivery of the Armored Amphibious Assault Vehicle ZAHA. The Domestic Motorized Shooter, 8x8 Wheeled Container Carrier Vehicles and Amazon armored vehicles will also be delivered to security forces for the first time.

The production of the first Altay tank, meanwhile, which is developed as a main battle tank (MBT), a first in the country, will also be completed, after “localization of some subsystems that are subject to foreign export licenses.”

The first deliveries of Bozdoğan In-Sight and Gökdoğan Over-Sight Missile will also be made in 2023.

The country is set to start to integrate the Gökdeniz Close-in weapon system (CIWS) into ships. Şimşek Target Aircraft will be delivered with cruise missile configuration for the first time, and mass production of the submarine torpedo, Akya, will begin.

In electronic systems, the AESA radar will be used for the first time in an Akıncı UCAV and the country will start its integration with F-16s for the first time. The F-16s will perform duties by integrating the locally developed Electronic Warfare Pod and Electronic Support Pod.

The first deliveries of the early warning radar system Eralp will also be made.

Mert Portable Electronic Attack Systems will be available for the first time.