TF-X: National Combat Aircraft
The TF-X (Turkish Fighter – Experimental) is a proposed single seat, twin-engine all-weather air superiority fighter being developed by Turkish Aerospace (Turkish Aerospace) with technological assistance from BAE Systems.
In order to meet Turkish Air Force (TurAF) requirements beyond 2030, the National Combat Aircraft (which is abbreviated as MMU in Turkish), also known as TF-X, Development Program was launched in accordance with Decision No 545 adopted at the Defence Industry Executive Committee (DIEC) dated 15 December 2010. The MMU/TF-X was planned to replace the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon combat aircraft during the 2030s and Turkish Aerospace (Turkish Aerospace) was selected as the Prime Contractor.
The contract for the Conceptual Design Development Project was signed between the Turkish Presidency of Defence Industries (SSB) and Turkish Aerospace on 23 August 2011. Under the contract, involving a 24-month schedule which came into force on 29 September 2011, between 2011-2013 Prime Contractor Turkish Aerospace prepared three separate conceptual designs with technical support provided by SAAB Aircraft, selected as the Technical Support and Assistance Provider (TSAP). These three configurations are named as follows: FX-1 (configuration with double engine, back wing and conventional tail design such as F-18, Eurofighter, Rafale and Mig-29), FX-5 (configuration with single engine, back wing and conventional tail design) and FX-6 (configuration with single engine, broad delta wing and front wings). Under the ‘Concept Development and Preliminary Design Phase’, on 29 September 2013, Turkish Aerospace submitted the report for the designs and the results of the efforts carried out during the past two years to the SSB.
As a result of the proposal evaluations conducted during the Foreign Cooperation Company (FCC/YIF) selection process, it was decided to begin negotiations for the contract with British company BAE Systems on 12 November 2015 and as of December 2015, the Pre-Contract Studies with BAE Systems commenced. During the fourth quarter of 2016, the SSB and Turkish Aerospace confirmed that MMU/TF-X Program would go ahead with the single seat, twin-engine FX-1 design. The Preliminary Design (Phase-I Stage-I) contract was signed between Turkish Aerospace and SSB on 5 August 2016 and on 28 January 2017 in the presence of the Prime Ministers of Turkey and the United Kingdom, BAE Systems and Turkish Aerospace signed a US$156 Million agreement to collaborate under the Preliminary Design (Phase-I Stage-I) Phase of the MMU/TF-X Program. The Turkish Aerospace-BAE Systems Collaboration Agreement became effective on 25 August 2017.
The Project Implementation Schedule (To) was started on 17 September 2018 following the selection of TR Motor as the Prime Contractor and Supplier for the turbofan engines that will power the TF-X production aircraft. In October 2018 Turkish Aerospace selected General Electric (GE)’s F110 Turbofan Family, specifically the F110-GE-129 or F110-GE-132, to power the MMU/TF-X prototypes and initial batches of series production aircraft. On 8 November 2018 the SSB signed a Framework Agreement with TR Motor Power Systems for the development of a next generation turbofan engine that will power the MMU/TF-X, the Turkish Fighter aircraft. To support the MMU/TF-X Program Turkish Aerospace is establishing a new infrastructure in its facilities in Ankara. In this context for example, to carry out the MMU/TF-X Program Turkish Aerospace is constructing a new facility at the Ankara Aerospace Industrial Zone, a total of 2,700 engineers will be employed at this facility. Moreover, on 2 May 2019, during the IDEF ‘19 Fair held in Istanbul, Turkey, Turkish Aerospace signed an agreement with Aiolos Engineering Corporation, based in Canada, for the construction of a ‘’Subsonic Wind-tunnel’’ at the Turkish Aerospace facilities in Ankara to support the MMU/TF-X and other future programs. Turkish Aerospace aims to build one of the World’s three ‘’Subsonic Wind-Tunnels’’, and put it into operation in 2023. Turkish Aerospace also previously signed a contract on 19 July 2018 with the company Aircraft Research Association (ARA), an independent research and development organization providing a range of specialist services to the worldwide aerospace industry, of the UK regarding the risk reduction phase of the wind tunnel tests for the TF-X aircraft. The highest level of quality wind tunnel data is required to verify an aerodynamic design. Since Turkey presently lacks a sufficient infrastructure in high-speed wind tunnel testing, there is a plan to utilize BAE Systems capabilities in this field during TF-X’s wind tunnel test phase especially at supersonic speeds. The BAE Systems Wind Tunnel facility is home to two tunnels, known respectively as the low speed and high-speed tunnels. In the latter, tests can be carried out at speeds up to Mach 3,8, which makes it perfect for transonic work.
The MMU/TF-X Program will be carried out under three Phases as the Preliminary Design (Phase-I Stage-I, September 2018 - September 2022), Detailed Design & Qualification (Phase-I Stage-II, September 2022 – September 2028), Acquisition of Initial Operation Capability and Full Operation Capability (IOC/FOC, Phase-II, September 2028 – December 2031) and Serial Production (Phase-III, 2032-2035+). Turkish Aerospace was designated as the Prime Contractor for the MMU/TF-X Development Program’s Engineering Development & Preliminary Design Phase in line with the DIEC Decision made in April 2015. Under the Engineering Development & Preliminary Design Phase, which will end up with completion of the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) document, beyond the design and development of the TF-X aircraft, engineering capabilities, technology development activities (for key sensors like radar, electronic warfare, etc.), test infrastructure establishment and certification processes will be performed and extensive capabilities for a new generation jet fighter design, development and production will be gained by the Turkish Defence & Aerospace Industry.
As of June 2019, the Engineering Development & Preliminary Design Phase (Phase-I Stage-I) is continuing and is scheduled for completion in September of 2022. Developing a stealth fighter is an expensive enterprise. The 4-year schedule for the Preliminary Design Phase is expected to cost around US$1,3 Billion (according to Turkish Aerospace President & CEO Temel KOTİL around US$300-400 Million of this figure will be allocated for infrastructural investment and around US$1 Billion for the engineers) and to be followed by a 9-year Detailed Design & Qualification schedule (which also covers Critical Design Review [CDR] and Prototype Production and the Qualification Phase) and the Acquisition of IOC/FOC, which are estimated to cost around US$7,3 Billion. At the end of 13-years and US$8,6 Billion (US$8,2 Billion is expected to be spent until the first prototype’s maiden flight) in expenses, a total of seven MMU/TF-X prototypes (six for flight tests and one for ground tests) in three different configurations dubbed Block-0 (first test model which will be rolled out in 2023), Block-I (air-superiority model planned to achieve IOC in 2028) and Block-II (multi-role model with air superiority plus air-to-ground capabilities, planned to achieve FOC in 2031) will be manufactured for test, evaluation and qualification purposes. Another US$14 Billion is earmarked for the Serial Production of the MMU/TF-X fighters.
According to Turkish Aerospace President & CEO KOTİL, during next 10-year period a total of 10,000 Turkish and foreign (including those from BAE Systems) engineers from different disciplines, those with supersonic fighter design and manufacture experience (know-how) will work under the MMU/TF-X Program. Under the contract BAE System will provide 400 personnel/year engineering support for a period of 4 years to Turkish Aerospace under the Engineering Development & Preliminary Design Phase (Phase-I Stage-I) of the MMU/TF-X Program. As of June 2019 a total of 300 Turkish Aerospace engineers from different disciplines are currently taking part in MMU/TF-X design activities. BAE Systems supports design of the MMU/TF-X with some 100 engineers based in Ankara.
Turkish Fighter and Indigenous Turbofan Engine
The MMU/TF-X, or Turkish Fighter (Turkish Aerospace, refers to this program as Turkish Fighter [TF] and exclude the X at the end of its title with an emphasis that it is no longer an Experimental aircraft) will be a single-seat, twin-engine combat aircraft (based on FX-1 concept) with Low Observability and Super Cruise capabilities and is to be equipped with indigenously developed systems and sensors. Replacing the F-16C/Ds currently in the service of the TurAF during the first quarter of the 2030s, the Turkish Fighter will be a fifth-generation indigenous air superiority fighter with secondary ground attack capability, which will escort and provide air protection to the TurAF’s F-35A Lighting II fleet. The TurAF currently operates 238 F-16C/D aircraft and Turkey is likely to procure some 150 TF-X in the long term to replace F-16s.
In December 2017 Turkish Aerospace released the technical specifications of the Turkish Fighter. According to Turkish Aerospace, the Turkish Fighter will measure 19 meters (60ft) long, have a 12-meter wingspan, around 60m² (670ft²) wing area and a maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) of 60,000lbs+ (27,215kg+). Powered with a pair of over 20,000lb class turbofan engines, the Turkish Fighter is intended to have a maximum speed of Mach 2, a service ceiling of over 55,000 feet, and a combat radius of over 600 nautical miles according to the Turkish Fighter technical specifications document.
However following the selection of bigger and more powerful engines to power prototypes and series production aircraft the technical specifications of the Turkish Fighter have also been changed. According to Turkish Aerospace engineers taking part in Turkish Fighter design activities, the length of the fuselage has been extended to accommodate larger engines and to stabilize the extended fuselage wingspan dimension which has been enlarged. Moreover, in order to provide better air-flow into new more powerful engines the design of the air intakes have been revised and enlarged. As a result of these revisions on the aircraft design, which stem from the selection of bigger and more powerful engines, the length of the Turkish Fighter has been increased to 21 meters and its wingspan has been increased to 14 meters. The Turkish Fighter will have a maximum speed of Mach 1.8 while running on two engines (each generating 27,000 lb thrust). It will also have a height of 6 meters, maximum takeoff weight of 60,000 lb, a maximum altitude of 55,000+ feet, and a combat radius of 600+ nautical miles.
After several years of confusion surrounding the Turkish Fighter (TF)’s engine choice, TR Motor Power Systems, a national engine consortium (formed by BMC Power [55%], Turkish Aerospace [35%] and the SSB [10%]) was created and became operational in April 2018 to develop a 27,000 lb class indigenous turbofan engine for TF production models. Within the scope of efforts initiated regarding the procurement of turbofan engines to power the TF prototypes and the initial batches of series production aircraft, in October 2018 Turkish Aerospace selected General Electric (GE)’s F110 Turbofan Family, specifically the F110-GE-129 or F110-GE-132. The F110-GE-129 has a maximum thrust rating of 29,500 lb, while the F110-GE-132 produces up to 32,000lb of take-off thrust. The F110-GE-129 Turbofan Engine with a thrust capacity of 129kN are currently employed in F-16C/D Blok 50 (F110-GE-129 IPE) and Blok 50+ (F110-GE-129B) aircraft in TurAF service. Featuring a radial rather than a spray-bar augmentor design and incorporates a number of component differences to improve durability the F110-GE-132 (142kN) Engine is used on F-16E/F Desert Falcon aircraft in the inventory of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Forces. Incorporating an all-bladed disk (blisk) fan and new low-loss radial A/B, the F110-GE-132 grew the F110 Family to 32,000lb of thrust, a 10% increase over the F110-GE-129. The higher thrust of the -132 is accomplished without a physical size increase and required no changes to the F-16 inlet. F110-GE-132 has latest state of the art technology, culminating 32,000lb of thrust, making it the highest thrust engine available in its class at. According to GE, the capability of a 10-20% thrust growth still exists within the current engine envelop. So, the current F110-GE-132 could be developed to offer 35,000lb (155,7kN) of take-off thrust to satisfy a new-platform requirement.
The F110 Turbofan Family is a stopgap solution until Turkey has built its indigenous turbofan engine for the MMU/TF. On 8 November 2018 the SSB signed a Framework Agreement with TR Motor Power Systems for the development of a next generation turbofan engine that will power the MMU/TF or Turkish Fighter, aircraft. Speaking at the signing ceremony SSB President İsmail DEMİR said the final goal is that the engine would not face limitations from foreign countries in terms of use and exports, and for Turkey to control all technological features and Intellectual Property (IP) rights. SSB President DEMİR noted that development of the indigenous turbofan engine would be a long process, nearly 10 years, and the agreement that was signed with TR Motor will serve as a framework in this process. On the occasion of the signing ceremony on 8 November a computer generated image (CGI) of TR Motor’s Turkish Indigenous Turbofan Engine was also shared with the media. Our initial analyses suggest that the current design has several similarities in terms of internal configuration with the F110 Turbofan Family. In this context for example, like the F110-GE-129 and -132 engines Turkish Indigenous Turbofan Engine also features Variable Inlet Guide Vane and as in the case with the F110-GE-132 engine it features “blisks” (bladed-disks) in the three-stage modular fan section in lieu of traditional blades to improve performance and maintainability. The engine also incorporates one High Power turbine (HPT) and a Low Power Turbine (LPT).
According to our sources the Turkish Indigenous Turbofan Engine to be supplied by TR Motor Power Systems will have similar dimensions and weight with F110 Turbofan Family. Speaking on the MMU/TF Program on a televised interview held on 13 June 2018 President of Defence Industries (SSB) Prof. DEMİR had underlined that as of June 2018 50 engineers were working/studying on Turkish Fighter engine and 10 experienced and valuable engineers have been brought to Turkey from abroad via reverse brain drain. SSB DEMİR had also stressed that knowledge on aircraft engines in Turkey would be gathered under the umbrella of the TR Motor Power Systems. TR Motor Power Systems facilities (dubbed as Technology Base) is located at Hacettepe Teknokent (Technopolis) in Ankara.
According to Turkish Aerospace engineers taking part in Turkish Fighter design activities under the Detailed Design & Qualification (Phase-I Stage-II, September 2022 – September 2028) Phase, a total of seven Turkish Fighter prototypes (six for flight tests and one for ground tests) in three different configurations namely; Block-0, Block-I and Block-II however during the Paris Air Show 2019 it was reported that there will be five Turkish Fighter prototypes. On June 23, 2019 Turkish Aerospace President & CEO Temel KOTİL disclosed that they have ordered 5 turbofan engines from General Electric (GE) and at the moment they are at delivery sate. “We will use F-16 engines (probably F110-GE-129E version due to twin engine configuration) in the first prototypes of TF-X in first flights. Development of indigenous turbofan engine is continuing” KOTİL added. We estimate four of the engines will be installed on two of Turkish Fighter prototypes and the fifth engine will be used as spare.
If Turkey proceeds with the S-400 Triumph AMDS contract rather than acquiring a Western made weapons system, the U.S. will apply economic sanctions on Turkey under the CAATSA. This, in turn, could make it difficult for the U.S., and even European defence companies to conduct business in Turkey. In this context, the U.S. Congress could also block any cooperation (such as the transfer of turbofan engines, avionics and sub-systems) between U.S. companies with Turkey over the MMU/TF Program. In such case it is clear that Turkey will not be able to afford to keep the MMU/TF Program on schedule and will potentially face significant drawbacks to turn the project into a reality.
Turkish Aerospace Revealed a Mock-up of Turkish Fighter at the Paris Air Show 2019
During the Paris Air Show, on 17 June 2019 Turkish Aerospace unveiled a full-sized mock-up of its next generation fighter the Turkish Fighter. Speaking at the one-to-one mock-up of a Turkish Fighter aircraft presentation, Turkish Aerospace President & CEO Temel KOTİL said that when it enters the service, the Turkish Fighter will be “the best fighter in Europe” and capable of carrying the long-range, air-to-air METEOR missile of the European manufacturer MBDA. “We have increased our speed ... we have enough strength to build this fighter,” he added. Previously, the company had revealed its intentions to fly the Turkish Fighter in 2026. However during his address, Turkish Aerospace President & CEO KOTİL disclosed that the aircraft would be completed in 2023, with first flight in 2025 and the next generation fighter will enter service with the Turkish Air Force (TurAF) in 2028. “Once we develop the Turkish Fighter, we will become the world’s fourth country to have this type of aircraft. Meanwhile; Japan, the Republic of Korea, Iran and India are also working on similar projects. So there is a competition between countries,” KOTİL added. The ceremony was attended by Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Commander General Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Affendi bin BUANG. Turkey has been looking for international joint development partners to collaborate with Turkish Aerospace and various Turkish sub-contractors on the MMU/TF Program, and Malaysia is one of the potential candidates for this role.
According to reports, the full-size mock-up Turkish Fighter, which was constructed by recently established Turkish Aerospace-KALAY Joint Venture Company in Germany in 35 months, cost the company almost Euro2 Million (US$ 2,25 Million). According to Turkish Aerospace, the METEOR active radar guided beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) was selected by the TurAF for the Turkish Fighter since the beginning of the Program and during the Conceptual Design Development Phase, which was carried out between September 2011 – September 2013, necessary information was obtained from the manufacturing company to integrate the METEOR missile into the Turkish Fighter and aircraft design (such as weapons bay) was prepared in accordance with METEOR missile’s technical specifications.
Within the course of the Turkish Fighter development program, new capabilities and equipment will be added to the aircraft under a “Block Development Approach”. In each Block, the level of local content ratio will also be increased. The first Turkish Fighter prototype will be in Block-0 configuration and is expected to be rolled-out in 2023, when Turkey will celebrate its 100th anniversary of the founding of the Republic. Following the ground tests, the maiden flight will be performed with the first prototype aircraft. The Block-0 configuration will not feature either stealth capability or some of the main internal avionics and equipment (such as AESA radar) and various sub-systems onboard the aircraft will be procured from abroad such as turbofan engines, integrated cockpit display system (panoramic cockpit display) and landing gears. The Block-I prototypes will be in air superiority configuration and the first aircraft that enter TurAF service in 2028 will be in Block-I configuration. The TuRAF will achieve/declare IOC with Block-I Turkish Fighters. According to Turkish Aerospace, the TurAF originally planned for the first entry into service to occur in 2029 but since the company has accelerated its efforts the entry into service date was able to be moved to an earlier time. Turkish Aerospace will start Block-II deliveries in 2031 and following their entrance into TurAF service FOC will be declared. The Turkish Fighter Block-IIs, multi-role model with air superiority plus air-to-ground capabilities, will feature increased local content share thanks to their indigenously developed engines, sub-systems and avionics.
In every aspect of size – height, weight, wingspan, weight – the Turkish Fighter is bigger than the existing 5th Generation fighters including F-22, F-35, Su-57, J-20 and KF-X. Nevertheless, the overall design of the Turkish Fighter mock-up bears similar features (such as twin-engine and canted vertical tail design) to the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters, but with a narrower and longer fuselage and wider wingspan. The Turkish Fighter has a long and wide fuselage and a chiseled nose section with a frameless canopy. The air intakes are situated immediately behind the cockpit. In order to avoid radar detection the vertical tail of the aircraft has been designed in a canted manner. Further examination shows that all of the surfaces and the edges of the aircraft are smoothly blended, however contrary to many stealth fighter designs the mock-up still has exposed exhaust nozzles (without thrust vectoring capability), perhaps during the next phases of the ongoing development process engines would be buried deep inside the fuselage. The Turkish Fighter also has both cheek and ventral internal weapons bays like the F-22 Raptor.
Even if it will be an all-weather, multirole fighter, the Turkish Fighter’s primary role would be air-superiority. Since the aircraft designed for air-to-air combat from the beginning, the Turkish Fighter has weapons bay designed accordingly. The main bay, located on the bottom of the fuselage, can hold up to four launchers for air-to-air medium/long range (Beyond Visual Range/BVR) missiles and air-to-ground munitions and missiles weighing between 250 lb to 2,000 lb. Each of the side weapons bay, on the left and right of the fuselage, can hold two launchers for short-range air-to-air missiles. The Turkish Fighter will also have a total of four (two on each wing) underwing pylons on which both the air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions/missiles (NATO and Indigenous Weapons) can be integrated. Carrying the missiles and munitions on the underwing pylons would cost the Turkish Fighter its stealthiness. Turkish Aerospace has already launched an international tender to procure an undisclosed quantity of Suspension and Release Equipment (SARE) for integration onto Turkish Fighter prototypes and production aircraft. The SARE solution for the Turkish Fighter refers to the suite of equipment required to meet the requirements for carriage and release of a variety of weapons and stores in a variety of locations inside and outside the aircraft. Bidders are asked to submit their proposals by the end June 2019. According to sources the proposal is also covers an option for co-design and co-production of launchers in Turkey. Cobham, which also secured a contract in August 2017 to provide Missile Eject Launchers for the KF-X fighter aircraft is one of the bidders for this tender. Cobham is expected to offer Cobham Mission Systems (CMS) Fox-10 Lightweight (33kg) Advanced Missile Launcher as part of the SARE solution for the Turkish Fighter. The lightweight and ITAR free launcher is designed to carry both Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles (SRAAM) and Beyond-Visual-Range Missiles (BVRAAM)
https://www.defenceturkey.com/en/co...d-wing-jet-powered-air-platform-programs-3540
