KF-X/IF-X & TF-X for Europe?

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Member for

16 years 7 months

Posts: 3,765

Thats correct. Right now no one in Europe is considering the TF-X. But I didn't assert this. I said once BAE Systems and TAI complete the pre-design phase European nations may decide to join the TF-X program.

Oh, i see, agree.

Turkish Aerospace Industries is also not going from Hurkus to the TFX. It is going from licensed production of 300 F-16's, indigenous modernisation of entire F-16's (Ozgur program), industrial input in the JSF program to design and development of the SNC/TAI Freedom Trainer to developing a new combat aircraft TOGETHER in conjunction with a British defence giant.

If Europeans purchase Gripen's and Mirage then they will most definitely consider the TF-X.

They will consider the TFX when, and if it gets into sqn´s, before no. SAAB and Dassault have an historical pedigree in this particular business, TAI no. Mind you, i will be thrilled if TAI gets that aircraft right!

Member for

9 years 4 months

Posts: 375

Oh, i see, agree.

They will consider the TFX when, and if it gets into sqn´s, before no. SAAB and Dassault have an historical pedigree in this particular business, TAI no. Mind you, i will be thrilled if TAI gets that aircraft right!

When the Turkish Minister of Defence announced that Turkey was developing a new generation air superiority fighter comparable in mission profile to the F-22 I quite frankly laughed. This continued up until BAE Systems and Rolls Royce joined the TF-X program. Then I heard the British PM's speech.

Then I was alerted to the technology coming out of Turkey in the past 10 years which made me change my mind. (Some that spring to mind is the Roketsan SOM Advanced Stand-off Missile which is now being marketed by Lockheed Martin in the US. The other is the ASELSAN AESA, IRIST and KORAL. Then you have the ASELPOD, MEHPOD, Aerial Stand-off jammers etc. All Turkish precision strike missiles also use indigenous seekers heads: IR, semi-active laser etc)

Then on top of this a $44 billion budget was announced together with a recruitment drive for engineers with experience in developing combat aircraft from abroad. Then I saw that as many as 1000 Turkish companies had already begun development of sub-systems and some even had proven prototypes being tested on F-16 Block 30's being used as test-beds.

This to me showed the professionalism and solid intention on TAI's part.

Now I follow the program closely because it could quite frankly turn into a European equivalent to the F-22. We will only know when the pre-detail designs are revealed.

E.g. Turkey also a few years ago stated an intention to build stealth warships. Everyone laughed. Today it is commissioning MILGEM's in large numbers.