U.S. approves long-awaited F-16 sale to Turkey after Ankara allows Sweden to join NATO

The US government authorized the possible sale to Turkey of up to 40 new F-16 Block 70s, along with 79 «Viper» modernization kits, after the Erdogan government withdrew its objections to Sweden’s NATO membership.

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As expected, the modernization and upgrading of Turkey’s F-16 fighter fleet (one of the largest operators of the model), supported by President Joe Biden, depended on Ankara lifting its veto on Sweden’s NATO membership. That endorsement finally came on January 23, when the Turkish Parliament gave its approval to Sweden’s membership, with 287 votes in favor, 55 against and four abstentions.

Having fulfilled its side of the bargain, Washington was quick to approve the juicy $23 billion defense contract with Turkey. According to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) release, the potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Turkish government includes the following main items:

• 40 new F-16 Block 70 (32 F-16C single-seat and 8 F-16D two-seat);
• 79 modernization kits to «V» (Viper) configuration;
• 48 F110-GE-129D engines (40 installed, 8 spares);
• 149 Improved Programmable Display Generators (iPDG) (40 installed, 10 spares and 99 for the modernization program (79 installed, 20 spares));
• 149 AN/APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABR) (40 installed, 10 spares, 99 for the modernization program (79 installed, 20 spares));
• 169 Modular Mission Computers (MMC) 7000AHC (40 installed, 10 spares, 119 for modernization program (79 installed, 40 spares));
• 159 Integrated Global Positioning System (GPS) Inertial Navigation (INS) systems with Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Module (SAASM) or M-Code capability and Precise Positioning Service (PPS) (40 installed, 8 spares, 111 for the modernization program (79 installed, 32 spares));
• 168 Integrated Viper Electronic Warfare Suite (IVEWS) or equivalent electronic warfare (EW) systems (40 installed, 10 spares, 118 for modernization program (79 installed, 39 spares));
• 858 LAU-129 guided missile launchers;
• 16 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper ATP laser designation pods; 16 AN/AAQ-33 Sniper ATP laser designation pods

Armament

The U.S. also authorized Turkey to purchase a juicy armament package for its F-16s:

• 44 M61 Vulcan guns (40 installed, 4 spares);
• 952 AIM-120C-8 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) or equivalent missiles;
• 96 AMRAAM guidance sections;
• 864 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Increment 1 Bombs (SDB-1);
• 96 AGM-88B High Velocity Anti-Radiation Missiles (HARM);
• 96 AGM-88E Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missiles (AARGM);
• 401 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missiles;
• 850 JDAM KMU-556 tail kits for GBU-31;
• 200 JDAM KMU-557 tail kits for GBU-31v3;
• 384 JDAM KMU-559 tail kits for GBU-32.

As is customary for these types of sales, the list of equipment ordered includes a wide variety of secure communications systems, navigation systems, ground support equipment, advanced instrumentation, spare parts, tools, technical documentation, software, training, transportation, and a long list of others.

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The Viper modernization kits also include major Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) modifications that will extend the operational life of the Turkish Air Force’s F-16 Block 40 and Block 50+ airframes and engines.

Turkey is also modernizing some 35 F-16 Block 30 fighters with indigenous technology under the ÖZGÜR project, which includes deep structural modifications to extend their service life to 12,000 hours and a complete, locally developed avionics upgrade.