Turkey rolls up sleeves build own fighter jet to replace F-16S

Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry (SSM) head Murad Bayar has said Turkey is working to build its own fighter jet to replace the F-16s in its fleet. Experts are currently drafting the conceptual design of the aircraft, Bayar said. "We are working on a fighter jet for Turkey," he added on Thursday at the opening of the First International Conference on Air and Space Power (ICAP'13), being held in Istanbul. "It [the project for the new jet] is a development program and we aim to have it ready for operational use in the next 10-20 years. The conceptual design will be finished by the end of this year," Bayar said. Speaking to reporters following the opening of the conference, Bayar said the project was initiated last year. "In a two-year phase, we will work on pre-conceptual design work with the Air Forces Command. A design is coming," he said, adding: "By the end of this year, we aim to finish the conceptual design. Our goal is that after 10 years, on the 100th anniversary of our republic, this jet will make its first flight."