Turkey's F-16 'Project Liberty' (Özgür) modernisation

anyone know why USG or Lockheed is OK with this Ozghur Upgrade? As far as I know there is EUM verification
 
Agungvs69 said:
anyone know why USG or Lockheed is OK with this Ozghur Upgrade?
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Because there is always a limit to how far you can push a country to the wall. When that limit is crossed, the make believe rant on the treason of buying the S-400 will suddenly become a child's play. Everything in it is "known" and within reason. Let people think they are özgür/free, do not push them to be so for real.
 
Part of the Ozgur programme, development of AA missiles. Another footage of Gokdogan BVR missile was released yesterday

"Our first domestic and national air-to-air missile #GÖKDOĞAN hit the target accurately during the firing test activities conducted together with our Air Forces Command.

We would like to express our gratitude to all our stakeholders who contributed to this proud success."
https://twitter.com/x/status/1829604880321036389
View: https://x.com/SavunmaSanayii/status/1829604880321036389
 
Ainen said:
While i don't think development will fail, it's prudent to finish development and install it on fighters first(overcoming American resistance at that).

It's literally their first fighter aesa, and quite an ambitious one. Things can go wrong.
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Well the subcomponent development is already done and all they have to finish now with the trials is the software which will take a long time to mature even after the introduction into service anyway.

Dergi-4-KAPAK-5.jpg

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Moreover, those GaN TRM "tiles" that Aselsan has developed have already been used in other radar projects so I don't see a reason why not to prepare for a large mass production of airborne FCRs.

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NMaude said:
Once this modification programme is in production I wonder if Turkey will offer it to Ukraine?
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I think it wouldn't be an overstatement if we said there will be an internal demand for hundreds of these within this decade so I find it hard to believe that they can churn out enough radars for export.

Besides, NG has a way larger production capacity and the APG-83 is already more than a decade old at this point; so if Ukraine is to receive AESA radars for their jets (which is hard to believe for me), I think it would most likely be SABR (or, possibly Raven ES-05/Vixen 1000 E).
 
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Waterballoon said:
From 2025 to 2035 Aselsan needs to deliver 160 radars for F-16 B30,B40 and B50. 100 radars for Hürjet. 100+ radars for Kizilelma B and C. 60+ radars for Kaan and 100+ radars for Akinci and Anka. We are talking about more than 600.000 TRM in total.

Those are just the air-to-air radars not to mention all the other AESA radars.
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Ozgur is a modernisation package for the Block 30. Turkey is still hopeful for the Viper upgrade package for the Block 40 and 50, if that doesn't happen an Turkish official did state that they would implement Ozgur package for the 40 and 50 as well. As it stands however there are no plans for Ozgur to be implemented for the 40 and 50, yet...
 
Combat-Master said:
Ozgur is a modernisation package for the Block 30. Turkey is still hopeful for the Viper upgrade package for the Block 40 and 50, if that doesn't happen an Turkish official did state that they would implement Ozgur package for the 40 and 50 as well. As it stands however there are no plans for Ozgur to be implemented for the 40 and 50, yet...
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79 upgrade packages is too little for the number of B40 and B50 in service.
 
Combat-Master said:
Ozgur is a modernisation package for the Block 30. Turkey is still hopeful for the Viper upgrade package for the Block 40 and 50, if that doesn't happen an Turkish official did state that they would implement Ozgur package for the 40 and 50 as well. As it stands however there are no plans for Ozgur to be implemented for the 40 and 50, yet...
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If you are talking about the current Viper Upgrade, it is only for Block 40 and 50+ Aircraft. The DCSA report clearly states that.

TurAF Block 40/50s will undergo ÖZGÜR-II. They signed the contract at IDEF last year. I don't know if you were there, but the TurAF General (I don't remember his name) who was at the ceremony said all the Block 50 Aircraft would receive ÖZGÜR-II.

MURAD Radar is literally developed for the ÖZGÜR-II project. ÖZGÜR-I is only an avionics upgrade for the Block 30 aircraft. MURAD is not part of it; it will be implemented after Block 30 ÖZGÜR-I as a retrofit project. That's why there are two separate ÖZGÜR-II projects (Block 30 ÖZGÜR-II and Block 40/50 ÖZGÜR-II). One is MURAD radar retrofit for the Block 30 ÖZGÜR-I aircraft, and the other one is for the Block 40 and 50 F-16s. They even signed the contracts separately.

Edit: Haluk Görgün, Gürcan Okumuş, Ahmet Akyol, Murat İkinci, and Temel Kotil were there at the ceremony, but pretty much nobody from the press attended the event. It was super weird.
 
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Waterballoon said:
79 upgrade packages is too little for the number of B40 and B50 in service.
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@snne, you need to correct me with this one. I don't know how true this is, but multiple sources claimed that MSB/TurAF plans to reduce the number of Block 40 aircraft from the Viper package or altogether remove them and go with the ÖZGÜR-II mod.
 
Nart said:
@snne, you need to correct me with this one. I don't know how true this is, but multiple sources claimed that MSB/TurAF plans to reduce the number of Block 40 aircraft from the Viper package or altogether remove them and go with the ÖZGÜR-II mod.
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This is indeed being discussed by TurAF
 
Nice summary(ies):
https://ekamu.net/index.php/2024/09/30/hurjet-icin-teslimatlar-ertelendi-iste-resmi-son-bilgiler/
According to above news piece, the Özgür-1 program, which entails constructional and avionics improvements of F16 block 30 jets will be completed in 2025.
Özgür-2 program that will give the Block-40 and Block-50 aircraft the improvements on avionics to bring them to the same level, will be finalised in 2027.

With these improvements the aircrafts will have new communication systems, new radar and flight control computers fitted.


EDIT

According to the below list of planes we have purchased, all of Peace Onyx-1 planes with the Peace Onyx-2‘s 40 x Block 50 F16s will be undergone Özgür modernisation. (Less those that have been lost)

Peace Onyx-3 and 4 have 79 surviving planes. They are awaiting US V70 kits.

So Apart from the last 79 planes all inventory of F16s will be free from US avionics and be fitted with Murad Aesa Radar. Bringing them to V70 level on paper. But most likely will have better Aesa Radar (Due to Murad having GaN T/R modules) and being an unknown entity with indigenous avionics and weapons, will be a very important asset.

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Özgür-1 is national mission computer, IFF and other avionics. Özgür-2 is new radar, Aselpod, national EW hardware, T-Link and new weapons including Gökdoğan AAM. Özgür-1 is for block 30s only, while Özgür-2 is for B30, 40 and 50s.
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Via: Yasar_TR / Sanchez on Defencehub
 
"Within the scope of the GÖKTUĞ Project, Turkey’s first national air-to-air missiles, GÖKDOĞAN and BOZDOĞAN, have successfully completed airborne launch test activities. Additionally, under the F-16 PO-III Integration and Low-Rate Initial Production Project signed on July 7, 2023, 25 units each of the GÖKDOĞAN and BOZDOĞAN missiles have been produced as part of the initial low-rate production, and integration activities into F-16 PO-III aircraft are being carried out. Integration activities for the missiles into F-16 Block-30 (Özgür) aircraft also began in 2023 and are ongoing."

- TÜBİTAK 2024 Annual Report
 
Combat-Master said:
View attachment 766449
"The radar signal detector tactical electronic support pod F-16 EDPOD, whose critical components were developed by TÜBİTAK BİLGEM with domestic and national resources, has successfully completed all tests against real radar systems."

https://twitter.com/x/status/1910769712533053707
View: https://x.com/mfatihkacir/status/1910769712533053707
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Here's a deep analysis of the EDPOD's self-defence EW capabilities
https://www.defenceturkey.com/tr/ic...esinde-kritik-tasarim-safhasi-tamamlandi-3998
 
Block 30 Özgür-I cockpit from Defence Turkey's ASFAT/Military Factories special edition (Issue 135th). Unfortunately, they haven't published a high-res version yet. These aircraft were delivered in mid/late 2023 and are currently flying in undisclosed squadrons.
ÖZGÜR-I.png
 
Nart said:
Block 30 Özgür-I cockpit from Defence Turkey's ASFAT/Military Factories special edition (Issue 135th). Unfortunately, they haven't published a high-res version yet. These aircraft were delivered in mid/late 2023 and are currently flying in undisclosed squadrons.
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Note the tablet holder for the UBAS.

I wonder which weaponry needs such a system as the foreign MC is replaced by a local one. Or is it just for these 3 initial Ozgurs that were delivered to the airforce?
 
Waterballoon said:
Note the tablet holder for the UBAS.

I wonder which weaponry needs such a system as the foreign MC is replaced by a local one. Or is it just for these 3 initial Ozgurs that were delivered to the airforce?
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Combat-Master already answered that, but to clarify again, that's the dust cover. ÖZGÜR doesn't use UBAS because it doesn't need it (I mean, that's the whole point of the mod). Another info: There are 35 Block 30s in TurAF inventory; 11 of them received the structural upgrade. Starting from the 12th aircraft, ÖZGÜR-I and structural upgrades begin to be implemented together. ASFAT said the project would be completed in late 2026/early 2027 if they continued at the same pace. They shared this in December 2024, so considering the first aircraft delivered in May 2023, the number of ÖZGÜR mod aircraft is definitely more than three.
 
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From Aselsan's 2024 Activity report;
"Production of the FEWS Self-Protection System (ARIA-A 220 and ARK-A 300), developed for integration into Block 30 aircraft as part of the F-16 Modernization program, has continued."

Looks like Aselsan is developing a new electronic warfare system to go with the Ozgur F-16 modernisation programme
 
Posting this here because related to Turkish F-16, also aselpods will be integrated into Ozgur modernised F16s;

New aerodynamic design of Aselpod that's being tested, not sure if it's Aselpod II
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The older design;
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Here's the patent on it, apparently the design allows for a reduction of aerodynamic torque, reducing power consumption by 40% and allowing smaller power units; https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/af/80/5c/a06e05465b1745/WO2024158362A1.pdf
 
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snne said:
EDPOD enters TuAF service:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1936759869559718382
View: https://x.com/Tubitak/status/1936759869559718382?t=RVzGSHscYnL88LrDp_l6JA&s=19


View attachment 775544View attachment 775545
View attachment 775547
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They don't mention EHPOD (Electronic Attack Pod) when it's clearly been delivered along with the EDPOD (Electronic Support Pod)
1750663344718.png

Also interesting tidbit, take it how you will; The main reason Turkey started developing it's own electronic warfare equipment is because the foreign sold equipment always came with a usage clause or were deliberately made to underperform after certain x amount of use, throwing up errors and overheating - not great when you're supressing air defences
 
Combat-Master said:
deliberately made to underperform after certain x amount of use, throwing up errors and overheating - not great when you're supressing air defences
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I think in reality it has a much simpler explanation tbh
 

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