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08 January 2015

New Indigenous Fighter Jets - Turkey and Iran

According to news sources, Turkey is likely to order four F-35 Joint Strike Fighters in addition to the two it had already ordered. Turkey had originally planned to buy up to 100 F-35s to replace its ageing F-4 and F-16 fleet but budgetary constraints have forced it to order the $175 million aircraft in single digit numbers. According to the Undersecretariat For Defence Industries SSM, it has been agreed that four more F-35 planes will be procured in addition to the two previously ordered, as part of a plan to buy a total of 100 new generation F-35s. The decision came after a meeting chaired by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu for the first time under his rule to discuss key defence purchases. It is not clear if the US will agree to this demand as its relations with Ankara have become cold in recent times and just recently, the US put on hold a planned delivery of decommissioned US Navy warships to Turkey.

According to the SSM, the committee has also decided to place an order for five CH-47F CHINOOK heavy transport helicopters. This will be a follow-on order to a previous deal involving six platforms.

Turkey's procurement agency SSM also announced its plans to go ahead with the "pre-design" phase in Turkey's bid to design, develop and produce an indigenous fighter jet. Commenting on the development of the fighter jet, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, chairman of the committee said that a twin-engine model would be pursued in the national fighter aircraft program.

In the meantime, Iran has commenced mass production of its indigenous fighter jet, SAEQEH (Farsi: Thunderbolt). The twin-seater fighter jet has already gone through mass production, a spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Airforce (IRIAF) recently announced. "The fighter is continuously conducting reconnaissance missions across Iran," he added. "The new fighter jet will bring Iran to the level of self-sufficiency in the field. The IRIAF will upgrade the fighter in case the needs of the Armed Forces change in future. The fighter has the ability to track down enemy aircraft, engage in combat, target locations on the ground, and carry a load of assorted weapons and ammunition."

According to sources, SAEQEH was unveiled as a prototype in 2004 and later became operational in 2006. The jet is Iran’s second domestically-developed fighter with many calling it the Iranian F-18.

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