Military Balance of Turkish & Hellenic Air Forces in the Region
The tension between Turkiye and Greece in the Eastern Mediterranean has escalated rapidly in recent days. When the sea and airspace problems from the past were added to the maritime jurisdiction problem, the situation became even more critical.
Hellenic Air Force Strength
According to open sources, the Hellenic Air Force operates 229 combat aircraft including
32 F-16C/D Block 30
38 F-16C/D Block 50
54 F-16C/D Block 52+
30 F-16C/D Block 52+ Advanced
18 Mirage 2000BG/EG
24 Mirage 2000-5 BG/EG
33 F-4E AUP
These Aircrafts are deployed to 6 main bases (Larissa, Nea Aghialos, Souda, Araxos, Andravida, and Tanagra) and 3 forward bases (Skyros, Lemnos and Kastelli)
24 RAFALE on order
The Tanagra Air Base in Greece is new home of the Rafale Fighter Jets
And the entire fleet will be deployed at Tanagra Air Base by the summer of 2023
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84 F-16 Block70 modernization until 2028
In 2017, Greece started the FMS (Foreign Military Sales) process with the USA to upgrade its 84 F-16C/D Block 52+/52+ Advanced to the F-16V "Viper" level until 2028
-- AN/APG-83 SABR AESA Radar
-- Data link
-- Electronic Warfare System
-- Helmet-mounted display system (JHMCS II)
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Early Warning and Command Control Aircraft
4 Embraer EMB-145H AEWCs
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Network Centric Warfare
Greece has only 30 F-16 Block 52+ Advanced Jets with this capability. while Turkiye has 163+29+35 F-16s with this capability
until 2028 , 84 F-16 block70 modernized Jets will have this capability with Link-16 TDL
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Turkish Air Force Strength
According to open sources, the Turkish Air Force operates 266 combat aircraft, including
36 F-16C/D Block 30
100 F-16C/D Block 40
71 F-16C/D Block 50
29 F-16C/D Block 50+
30 (+/-) F-4E/2020.
These aircraft are deployed to 6 main bases ( Eskişehir, Konya, Merzifon, Bandırma, Diyarbakır and Balıkesir ) and 2 forward bases ( Dalaman ve Malatya )
163 F-16 CCIP Modernization .. ( F-16 block52 standard )
CCIP Modernization for 163 F-16C/D block52 standard ( $3,9 billion ) between 2010 and 2015
AN/APG-68(V)9 Radar
Link-16 System
Self-Protection Electronic Warfare Suite (SPEWS II)
Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS)
AN/AVS-9 Night Vision Goggles (NVG)
Modular Mission Computer
Advanced interrogator/transponder
Integrated precision navigation
LCD Color MFDs
Improved AVTR System
Multifunctional Information Distribution System
High speed Anti-Radar Missile Targeting System
AIM-9x air to air Missile
AIM-120C7 air to air Missile
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35 F-16 OZGUR Modernization .. ( F-16 block70 standard )
It is aimed to equip 35 F-16 Block 30 Fighter Jets with a unique mission computer with national avionics and national OFP software
-- The service life of F-16 Block 30 extended from 8.000 hours to 12.000 hours
-- National Friend-Foe Identification (IFF) System
-- National AESA Radar MURAD
-- National Mission Computer
-- Multifunction Cockpit Center Display Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Display
-- Fuel Hydraulic Gauge
-- Inertial Navigation System
-- Engine Indicator Display
-- National Sound Safety Device
to use all Turkish Missiles and Guided Bombs
View attachment 884560
40 new F-16 block70
79 F-16 modernization to the Viper standard
The Turkish Ministry of Defense sent a Letter of Request (LoR) to the American government for the acquisition of 40 new F-16C/D Block 70 Viper Fighter Jets as well as the modernization of a total of 80 existing Turkish F-16s to the Viper standard
-- 40 new F-16 block70
-- 79 F-16 modernization to the Viper standard
F-16 Block70
-- APG-83 AESA Radar
-- New avionics architecture
-- New mission computer and electronic warfare suite
-- The new Center Pedestal Display (CPD)
-- Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS)
-- The Night Vision Imaging System
-- The Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System II
-- SNIPER Advanced Targeting Pod
-- IRST (Infrared Search and Track)
-- Conformal fuel tanks
-- Extended structural service life of 12,000 hours
-- General Electric F110-GE-132 Engine rated at 32,500 lbf (144 kN) of afterburning thrust
View attachment 884561
The Eurofighter Typhoon option was first time officially mentioned by Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın on Sep 25, 2022
Turkiye has brought up the purchase of Eurofighter Typhoon jets, which will not draw any reaction from the NATO against the possibility of the USA's F-16 block70 sale not being realized.
Eurofighter Typhoon
Captor-E AESA Radar
IRST
METEOR Air to Air Missile
View attachment 884564
KIZILELMA unmanned stealth Fighter Jet
First flight : 2023
In service : 2025
Lenght : 14.7 m
Wingspan : 10 m
Height : 3.3 m
Endurance : 5 Hours
Combat radius : 500 nm
Service ceiling : 35,000 - 45.000 ft
Cruise speed : mach 0,6 - 0,9 ... ( supersonic variant mach 1,4 )
MTOW: 6000 kg
Payload : 1.500 kg
Engine : 1x AI-25TLT .... 1x AI--322F turbofan
-- AESA Radar , EOTS , sensor fusion
-- Stealth design
-- Internal weapon stations
-- Stealth flight capability
-- The ability to hide from Radars
-- Aggressive maneuverability with delta canard and vertical stabilizers
-- Smart fleet autonomy equipped with artificial intelligence
-- SATCOM + 3 redundant LOS
-- Independent navigation
-- Operational capability from TCG ANADOLU light Aircraft Carrier
to carry 100+ km GOKDOGAN air to air missiles in the Internal weapon stations for stealth flight capability in BVR combat
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S400 Air Defense System
Radar range : 600 km
Firing range : 380 km 40N6E missile and 250 km 48N6E3 missile
Altitude : 30 km
Speed : mach 3.5 and mach 5,9
Turkiye bought 36 launchers with 192 missiles
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Early Warning and Command Control Aircraft
Network Centric Warfare
4 Boeing E-7T AEWCs can provide a "big picture" of both the airspace and maritime environment and transfer it to the relevant command centers via Link-16 Tactical Data Link
Turkiye's most significant advantage in terms of Airborne Early Warning is the 163+29+35 F-16s with Link-16 TDL capability, while Greece has only 30 F-16 Block 52+ Advanced aircraft with this capability
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