Turkey Air Force
Founded 1909 – 1911
Country Turkey
Size 60,100 personnel (2008 est.)
930+ aircraft
Part of Turkish Armed Forces
HQ Ankara
Engagements
Balkan Wars
First World War
Turkish War of Independence
Korean War
Cyprus War
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Deliberate Force
Operation Northern Watch
Operation Allied Force
Operation Enduring Freedom
Operation Northern Iraq
Operation Sun
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack
F-16 Fighting Falcon
- F-4E 2020 Terminator
- F-4E Phantom II
- F-5 2000
Electronic
warfare - Boeing 737 AEW&C
- CN-235 EW
Fighter - F-16 Fighting Falcon
Interceptor - F-16 Fighting Falcon
Reconnaissance - RF-4E Phantom II
- Heron
- MQ-9 Reaper
- MQ-1 Predator
- RQ-7 Shadow 600
- Searcher II
- Aerostar
- GNAT 750
- I-GNAT ER
Trainer - T-38
- SF-260
- T-37
- T-41
Transport - C-130
- C-160
- CN-235
- Cougar
- UH-1H
Aerial refueling - KC-135R
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Structure
Headquarters, Ankara
Chief of the Turkish General Staff: General Isik Kosaner
Commander of the Turkish Air Force: General Hasan Aksay
Air Force Staff Division Command
10th Tanker Base Command, Incirlik, Adana
KC-135 Stratotanker tanker aircraft
11th Air Transportation Main Base Command, Etimesgut, Ankara
CASA CN-235(T),
Cessna Citation VII,
Cessna Citation II (CE-550),
Gulfstream IV-SP,
3 CASA CN-235 (T) ambulance aircraft
12th Air Transportation Main Base Command, Erkilet, Kayseri
C-130 Hercules,
C-160 Transall and
CASA CN-235 (T) aircraft
1st Tactical Air Force Command, Eskisehir
1st Main Jet Base Group Command
4th Main Jet Base Group Command
6th Main Jet Base Group Command
9th Main Jet Base Group Command
15th Missile Base Group Command
1st Air Control Group Command
2nd Tactical Air Force Commands, Diyarbakir
5th Main Jet Base Group Command
7th Main Jet Base Group Command
8th Main Jet Base Group Command
2nd Air Control Group. Command
Air Training Command, Gaziemir, Izmir
2nd Main Jet Base Group Command
3rd Main Jet Base Group Command
Air Force Academy Command
Air Corps Schools and Technical Training Center Command
Air Language School and Airmen Training Brigade Command
Air Logistics Command, Etimesgut, Ankara
1st Air Supply and Maintenance Center Command
2nd Air Supply and Maintenance Center Command
3rd Air Supply and Maintenance Center Command
Air Museum Command
These commands consist of:
19 Combat squadrons
1 Reconnaissance squadron
6 Training squadrons
6 Transportation squadrons
1 Tanker squadron
8 Surface-to-air missile (SAM) squadrons
| Aircraft | Role | Versions | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter Aircraft | ||||
|
F-16 Fighting Falcon |
Multirole Aircraft |
Block 40/50/52 |
180 |
All will receive the CCIP upgrade |
|
F-16 Fighting Falcon |
Multirole Aircraft |
Block 30 |
30 |
Low level modernization by TAI |
|
F-4E 2020 Terminator |
Multirole Aircraft |
- |
52 |
Modernized by IAI |
|
F-4E 2000 Şimşek |
Multirole Aircraft |
- |
48 |
Low level modernization by TAI |
|
F-4E Phantom II |
Multirole Aircraft |
F-4E Phantom II |
25 |
- |
|
F-5 Freedom Fighter |
Multirole Aircraft |
NF-5 |
75 |
Low combat role, used as advanced trainers |
|
|
|
Total Combat Aircraft |
410 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Aircraft |
Role |
Versions |
In service |
Notes |
| Reconnaissance Aircraft | ||||
|
RF-4E |
Reconnaissance Aircraft |
RF-4E Phantom |
26 |
Modernized by TAI under the 'Işık' modernization program |
|
|
|
Total Reconnaissance Aircraft |
26 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Aircraft |
Role |
Versions |
In service |
Notes |
| Trainer Aircraft | ||||
|
T-38 Talon |
Trainer Aircraft |
T-38A Talon |
70 |
Modernized by TAI under the 'Arı' modernization program |
|
F-5 2000 |
Trainer Aircraft |
F-5B |
50 |
Modernized by IAI |
|
T-37 Tweet |
Trainer Aircraft |
T-37 Tweet |
60 |
Will be phased out |
|
SF-260 |
Trainer Aircraft |
SF-260D |
38 |
Built by TAI |
|
T-41 Mescalero |
Trainer Aircraft |
T-41D Mescalero |
28 |
- |
|
|
|
Total Trainer Aircraft |
246 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Aircraft |
Role |
Versions |
In service |
Notes |
| Transport Aircraft | ||||
|
C-130 Hercules |
Transport Aircraft |
C-130E |
13 |
Modernized by TAI under the Erciyes program |
|
C-160 Transall |
Transport Aircraft |
C-160T |
20 |
Modernized by TAI |
|
CN-235 |
Transport Aircraft |
CN-235M-100 |
50 |
Built by TAI |
|
Grumman Gulfstream G550 |
VIP Transport |
- |
1 |
- |
|
Grumman Gulfstream-IV |
VIP Transport |
- |
3 |
- |
|
Cessna 550 Citation II |
VIP Transport |
- |
2 |
- |
|
Cessna 650 Citation VII |
VIP Transport |
- |
2 |
- |
|
Beech King Air 200 |
VIP Transport |
- |
1 |
- |
|
|
|
Total Transport Aircraft |
92 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Aircraft |
Role |
Versions |
In service |
Notes |
| Tanker Aircraft | ||||
|
KC-135 Stratotanker |
Aerial Refueling Tanker |
KC-135R-CRAG Stratotanker |
7 |
- |
|
|
|
Total Aerial Refueling Aircraft |
7 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Aircraft |
Role |
Versions |
In service |
Notes |
| Helicopter | ||||
|
Eurocopter Cougar |
Utility Helicopter |
AS 532UL Cougar Mk1 |
20 |
Built by TAI |
|
UH-1 Huey |
Light Utility Helicopter |
UH-1H |
80 |
- |
|
|
|
Total Helicopter |
100 |
|
|
|
||||
|
Aircraft |
Role |
Versions |
In service |
Notes |
| Unmanned Aerial Vehicle | ||||
|
Harpy |
Mini UAV |
- |
107 |
|
|
Heron |
MALE UAV |
- |
10 |
|
|
I-GNAT ER |
MALE UAV |
- |
20 |
- |
|
|
|
Total Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
137 |
|
Air Defense Weapons
|
Weapon |
Role |
Versions |
In service |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface to Air Weapons | ||||
|
MIM-14 |
Long Range Air Defense Weapon |
Nike-Hercules |
72 Missiles |
To be phased out |
|
MIM-23 |
Medium Range Air Defense Weapon |
Hawk XXI |
48 Fire Unit with 16 Battery |
- |
|
Rapier missile |
Medium Range Air Defense Weapon |
Rapier FSB1 |
86 Battery |
Produced under license by Roketsan |
|
Atılgan PMADS |
Short Range Air Defense Weapon |
Zıpkın Variant Mounted on Land Rover Defender |
32 Battery |
Produced under license by Roketsan |
|
FIM-92 Stinger |
MANPADS |
- |
108 Launcher |
Produced under license by Roketsan |
Future plans
|
Aircraft |
Role |
Versions |
Planned |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
F-16 Fighting Falcon |
Multirole Fighter |
F-16 CCIP |
30 |
To be delivered in 2011 |
|
F-35 Lightning II |
Stealth multirole fighter |
F-35A |
100+16 option |
Center fuselage of Turkish F-35s will be produced in Turkey. After 2013, TAI will also produce 100% of the F-35 under license from Lockheed Martin Corporation. |
|
A400M |
Strategic Transport Aircraft |
A400M |
10 |
TAI is a production share partner which will design and produce centre fuselage, hatches and other parts. |
|
B-737-700 AEW&C MESA |
AWACS |
- |
4 |
To be delivered in 2011 under 'Peace Eagle' program. |
|
TAI Hürkuş |
Basic Trainer Aircraft |
TAI Hürkuş |
4 prototypes |
First prototypes planned to be completed in 2010. |
|
KT-1 |
Basic Trainer Aircraft |
KT-1T |
40+15 optional |
- |
|
TAI Anka |
MALE UAV |
Anka-A and Anka-B |
10 + 30 option |
Prototype of Anka-A is ready. Anka-B will be armed with missiles. |
|
MQ-1 Predator |
MALE UAV |
- |
6 |
- |
|
MQ-9 Reaper |
MALE UCAV |
- |
4 |
Aircraft and three command centers will be delivered. |
|
Long Range Air Defense System Project |
Air Defense Weapons |
|
4 Battery/16 Fire Units |
Turkey will choose among MIM-104, S-400, HQ-9 and Eurosam |