Turkey announced the ÖZGÜR-2 project to modernise all of its fourth-generation F-16 Block 30, Block 40 and Block 50 fighters

Turkey will modernise its F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters on its own. The domestic project is called ÖZGÜR. The upgrade will bring the American aircraft of the Turkish Air Force to the Block 70/72 level.

Here's What We Know

In May, it was revealed that the first of more than two hundred Turkish Air Force F-16s underwent the ÖZGÜR upgrade. It received a new digital cockpit and learned to launch Turkish Merlin and Peregrin missiles, which are considered an analogue of the US AIM-120 AMRAAM.

By then it was known that Turkey could only modernise the F-16 Block 30 due to the lack of source code for the Block 40 and Block 50. However, today it was revealed that the ÖZGÜR-2 project will modernise all of Turkey's US Air Force fighter jets.

The contract for the ÖZGÜR-2 programme was signed at IDEX 2023, which is being held in the Turkish capital these days. The modernisation of the F-16 Block 30 will be completed by 2027, while the Block 40 and Block 50 standard aircraft will be improved by 2030.

Source: SavunmaSanayiST