Turkey’s air force can barely fly its F-16s - analyst

[Lincoln]

Turkey’s air force can barely fly its F-16s - analyst

• Jan 03 2020 12:55 Gmt+3
• Last Updated On: Jan 03 2020 12:58 Gmt+3

The Turkish government’s crackdown on the country’s military following a failed coup attempt in 2016 has reached such an extent that Turkey’s air force can barely fly its F-16 jets, defence and historical writer Michael Peck said.

“Fighter pilots aren't cheap,” Peck said in the National Interest on Thursday. According to the U.S. Air Force estimates, training a new pilot to fly a plane like the F-35 costs $11 million, while the years of experience of a veteran pilot is priceless, he said.

“So a nation that throws its fighter pilots in jail is not just wasting money, but also an extremely valuable resource,” Peck said. “Yet in the name of politics, Turkey's government has purged its air force so badly that it can barely fly its F-16 fighters.”

Following the failed putsch, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government started taking revenge by quashing both secular generals and military personnel linked to the Gülen movement, which Ankara accuses of carrying out the coup attempt, Peck said.

With more than 300 hundred pilots dismissed, the Turkish government started looking overseas to make up the shortfall, Peck said. But, the United States declined Turkey’s request to send over flight instructors. Turkey then sought assistance from Pakistan, which also flies F-16s, but that did not work, and in desperation the government issued a decree in 2017 forcing 330 former pilots to return to the air force by threatening them with the revocation of their civil pilot licenses, Peck said citing an Atlantic Council report.

The weakening air force might also be the reason why Turkey suddenly got very interested in acquiring missile systems, Peck said. Turkey purchased Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems despite Washington’s concerns and sanctions threats. Ankara also signed an agreement with Franco-Italian missile maker Eurosam to develop a long-range anti-aircraft missile.

https://ahval.me/defence/turkeys-air-force-can-barely-fly-its-f-16s-analyst?amp

 

[Trango Towers]

Michael peck...nice jewish name

 

[Haris Ali2140]

Turkey’s air force can barely fly its F-16s - analyst

• Jan 03 2020 12:55 Gmt+3
• Last Updated On: Jan 03 2020 12:58 Gmt+3

The Turkish government’s crackdown on the country’s military following a failed coup attempt in 2016 has reached such an extent that Turkey’s air force can barely fly its F-16 jets, defence and historical writer Michael Peck said.

“Fighter pilots aren't cheap,” Peck said in the National Interest on Thursday. According to the U.S. Air Force estimates, training a new pilot to fly a plane like the F-35 costs $11 million, while the years of experience of a veteran pilot is priceless, he said.

“So a nation that throws its fighter pilots in jail is not just wasting money, but also an extremely valuable resource,” Peck said. “Yet in the name of politics, Turkey's government has purged its air force so badly that it can barely fly its F-16 fighters.”

Following the failed putsch, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government started taking revenge by quashing both secular generals and military personnel linked to the Gülen movement, which Ankara accuses of carrying out the coup attempt, Peck said.

With more than 300 hundred pilots dismissed, the Turkish government started looking overseas to make up the shortfall, Peck said. But, the United States declined Turkey’s request to send over flight instructors. Turkey then sought assistance from Pakistan, which also flies F-16s, but that did not work, and in desperation the government issued a decree in 2017 forcing 330 former pilots to return to the air force by threatening them with the revocation of their civil pilot licenses, Peck said citing an Atlantic Council report.

The weakening air force might also be the reason why Turkey suddenly got very interested in acquiring missile systems, Peck said. Turkey purchased Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems despite Washington’s concerns and sanctions threats. Ankara also signed an agreement with Franco-Italian missile maker Eurosam to develop a long-range anti-aircraft missile.

https://ahval.me/defence/turkeys-air-force-can-barely-fly-its-f-16s-analyst?amp

The article doesn't make any sense.

 

[Trango Towers]

The article doesn't make any sense.

Politically motivated article

 

[Pakistan Space Agency]

... Turkey then sought assistance from Pakistan, which also flies F-16s, but that did not work, ...

Now why would Pakistani pilots ever miss the chance to fly foreign F-16s and that too belonging to a NATO member state?

Sounds like propaganda.

 

[damm1t]

International norms accept fighter numbers/pilot numbers rate as 1/1.15 normal,
After coup attempt in 2016 and following operations to get rid of rotten eggs from air forces, this rate decreased to 1/0.8 . Then TurAF made a call to ex-pilots till new generation pilots are ready to combat. This rate increased to 1/1.7. It won't be easy to reach pre-coup attempt pilot numbers in just 4-5 years but Turkish Air Forces probably have back-up plans for this too.

With this smaller number of pilots, TurAF is more effective than ever. At least we don't have traitors inside.

 

[Valar.]

Now why would Pakistani pilots ever miss the chance to fly foreign F-16s and that too belonging to a NATO member state?

Sounds like propaganda.

If I remember correctly, Pakistan and Turkey were willing but America didn't allow it to happen based on some technical terms.

____
Edit:

According to an F16 purchase agreement between Turkey and the United States, the US must give permission for any third party involvement in the use of the aircraft.

https://www.turkishminute.com/2017/...on-to-use-pakistani-pilots-for-f-16-training/

 

[313ghazi]

Turkey then sought assistance from Pakistan, which also flies F-16s, but that did not work,

This is the point where I called BS. We have pilots and trainers in Middle East countries but from some reason it didn't work for Turkey? LOL.

No doubt arresting so many pilots will have impacted ability, but don't forget - some Turkish F-16s were attacking the parliament building a few years ago. The coup needed to be handled.

 

[deep_blue]

Now why would Pakistani pilots ever miss the chance to fly foreign F-16s and that too belonging to a NATO member state?

Sounds like propaganda.

US denied .
https://stockholmcf.org/us-refuses-...tani-pilots-for-training-turkish-f-16-pilots/

https://www.turkishminute.com/2017/...on-to-use-pakistani-pilots-for-f-16-training/

 

[Mucahit]

The article is utter nonsense. That kind of situation was maybe likely right after the coup attempt but the airforce recovered pretty quickly afterward. In fact, Turkey kicked off its operations in Syria with some major-coordinated airstrikes. (Afrin OP was started with 72 airstrikes overnight)

Erdoğan gladly invited and reinstated secular officers right after the coup.

The air defense system has been a priority since the 1990's. The US didn't fulfill Turkish requirements back in 2007 (?) so we went and bought systems from China but that was canceled. The Russians simply offered the best solution. The Americans wanted Turkey to pay more for the outdated Patriot systems than Russia wanted for their brand new S400's.

 

[CAN_TR]

Why are the Greeks complaining about increasing airspace "violations" then?
Pilots who didn't had connections to Gulen were picked out and again invited to service.

Before Peace Springs Operation there were same talks about the Turkish Land Forces, but within a week 1/3 of YPG controlled North Syria was captured, if there wouldn't be any ceasefire agreements with Russia and USA whole North Syria would be under Turkish control now.

 

[Lincoln]

This is the point where I called BS. We have pilots and trainers in Middle East countries but from some reason it didn't work for Turkey? LOL.

No doubt arresting so many pilots will have impacted ability, but don't forget - some Turkish F-16s were attacking the parliament building a few years ago. The coup needed to be handled.

US issue was not with Pakistan, it was with Turkey. Even if NATO has offered pilots, US wouldn't allow it.

 

[TNT]

A traitor deserves to die, be it a pilot or PM or general. A stupid and dumb article.

 

[Lincoln]

The article is utter nonsense. That kind of situation was maybe likely right after the coup attempt but the airforce recovered pretty quickly afterward. In fact, Turkey kicked off its operations in Syria with some major-coordinated airstrikes. (Afrin OP was started with 72 airstrikes overnight)

Erdoğan gladly invited and reinstated secular officers right after the coup.

The air defense system has been a priority since the 1990's. The US didn't fulfill Turkish requirements back in 2007 (?) so we went and bought systems from China but that was canceled. The Russians simply offered the best solution. The Americans wanted Turkey to pay more for the outdated Patriot systems than Russia wanted for their brand new S400's.

At first I was skeptical about Turkey abandoning F-35 and options of all future NATO systems for Russian systems but what I have heard from various defence personnel is how seriously US has held back Turkey's self reliance efforts in defence equipment.

Patriot systems are top notch and good competitors. That's not the issue, and neither is it that Turkey wants to begin taking sides in some new imaginary Russian bloc, why would they even when Russia is directly against Turkey in Syria. But the biggest factor was that Russia was willing to provide a transfer of technology for their missile system and missiles, the US wasn't. That was the defining factor, because Turkey doesn't plan on relying on foreign industries for significant defence equipment, America knew this, Russia knows this but their economy is bad and they want the easy short term bucks.

International norms accept fighter numbers/pilot numbers rate as 1/1.15 normal,
After coup attempt in 2016 and following operations to get rid of rotten eggs from air forces, this rate decreased to 1/0.8 . Then TurAF made a call to ex-pilots till new generation pilots are ready to combat. This rate increased to 1/1.7. It won't be easy to reach pre-coup attempt pilot numbers in just 4-5 years but Turkish Air Forces probably have back-up plans for this too.

With this smaller number of pilots, TurAF is more effective than ever. At least we don't have traitors inside.

One has to question though, how many of those lay offs were genuinely justified. I think a lot of the lay offs were because of paranoia by Erdoğan. Hundreds is a big number.

 

[Mr.NiceGuy]

A traitor deserves to die, be it a pilot or PM or general. A stupid and dumb article.

Exactly number one traitor is tayyip and insAllah will die like a filthy pig... After him the others inshAllah...