In a move to further consolidate bilateral defense cooperation, Pakistan and Turkey have reportedly signed an agreement to jointly manufacture fifth-generation fighter jets.
The development comes in the wake of Turkey’s exclusion from the US’ F-35 fighter jets program following its acquisition of the S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile system through sanctioned Russian export entity Rosoboron export.
According to details, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) have merged their Next Generation Fighter Aircraft Program (NGFAP), an indigenous program under the larger Project Azm which envisions the development of fifth-generation stealth fighters, and TF-X Program.
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Under the TF-X program, Turkey aims to develop a fifth-generation fighter jet named TFX. It will be a twin-engine multi-role aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air missions and is expected to rival the US F-35 fighter.
With Pakistan becoming an official partner of Turkey, PAC and TAI will jointly redesign and modify the TFX jet to effectively cater to the needs of both the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Turkish Air Force (TAF).
Speaking in this regard recently, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) TAI, Temel Kotil, confirmed that TF-X has been officially renamed to the Turkish Pakistan Fighter Program.
Turkey recently showcased its TFX fighter prototype at Singapore Airshow, Asia’s most influential biennial airshow. This year’s Singapore Airshow was organized from 15-18 February at the Changi Exhibition Center.
The under-construction TFX fighter is a fifth-generation stealth twin-engine all-weather air superiority jet. It will replace the TAF’s F-16 jets, with its first flight scheduled for 2025 and official launch to be held in 2028.
The single-pilot jet will be 21m long, 14m wide, and 6m high. Its maximum takeoff weight will be 27,215 kg, maximum speed Mach 1.8 or 2,222 km/h, combat range 1,100 km, and a service ceiling of 55,000 feet.
It will be equipped with IRFS, AESA Radar, Electronic Warfare, Advanced Navigation Features (ICNI), Integrated Electro-Optical Systems (IEOS), Infrared Search and Track (IRST), Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS), Advanced Cockpit, and Human Machine Interface.
It will be fitted with the following armament:
Missiles:
Air-to-air missiles:
Gökdoğan (Peregrine) BVR active radar homing
Gökhan BVR active radar homing
Akdoğan (Peregrine) BVR active radar homing
Bozdoğan (Merlin) short-range infrared homing
Air-to-surface missiles:
SOM Cruise Missile (B1, B2, and J variants)
KUZGUN-TJ, Turbojet-powered Air-to-surface missile
KUZGUN-KY, Solid fuel Rocket-powered Air-to-surface missile
AKBABA, Air-to-surface, Anti-radiation Missile (ARM)
MBDA SPEAR-3
Bombs:
Teber-81 (Mark 81 bomb w/ ROKETSAN Laser Guidance Kit)
HGK-82 (Mark 82 bomb w/ TUBITAK-SAGE Precision Guidance Kit)
KGK-82 (Mark 82 bomb w/ TUBITAK-SAGE Wing Assisted Guidance Kit)
Teber-82 (Mark 82 bomb w/ ROKETSAN Laser Guidance Kit)
HGK-83 (Mark 83 bomb w/ TUBITAK-SAGE Precision Guidance Kit
KGK-83 (Mark 83 bomb w/ TUBITAK-SAGE Wing Assisted Guidance Kit)
HGK-84 (Mark 84 bomb w/ TUBITAK-SAGE Precision Guidance Kit)
LHGK-84 (Mark 84 bomb w/ TUBITAK-SAGE Laser Sensitive Guidance Kit
SARB-83, Bunker buster
NEB-84, Bunker buster
MAM (Smart Micro Munition) (MAM-T variant)
KUZGUN-SS, Glide bomb
ASELSAN Miniature Bomb
