Turkey to buy 117 missiles for f-16

 

 

Turkey has agreed to purchase 117 Sidewinder missiles worth $140 million from the United States and to be installed on F-16 aircrafts. Turkey takes a second critical arms step after obtaining the Patriot missile systems from NATO, by purchasing the 117 AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles from the U.S. The U.S Department of Defense has presented the deal to the U.S. Congress, and pending approval, Turkey will obtain the short-range, heat seeking weapon developed by Raytheon. These launch-and-leave air combat missiles to be installed on F-16s use passive infrared (IR) energy for acquisition and tracking, which can be employed in areas within and beyond visual range, and are deployable in both offensive and defensive counter-air operations.