WASHINGTON - American Lockheed Martin said on Tuesday that it won a USD 635 million contract to upgrade 216 F-16 fighter jets of Turkish Air Forces.
According to a written statement by Lockheed Martin, the American aeronautics company will provide flight tests, training and technical assistance as well as the modernization of 216 F-16C and F-16D type fighter jets in accordance with the contract which continues work began under a precontract signed in 2005.
The modernization work of the jets will be done mostly in Lockheed Martin`s facilities in Fort Worth, USA and in TAI facilities of Turkey until 2016.
Lockheed Martin`s Vice President Willy Moore said that they were pleased to undertake the responsibility of upgrading Turkish F-16s.
"This is a big day for Turkey and for our F-16 program," Moore said.
The jet modernization contract was signed between Turkey and the USA earlier as a state-to-state contract.
The Pentagon sent the USD 635 million contract to Lockheed Martin.
F-16 jets of Turkish Air Forces were jointly manufactured in TAI facilities of Turkey within the framework of two contracts signed with Lockheed Martin.
Turkey also made a resolution to purchase 100 F-35s to meet the need of new generation fighter jets.
Turkey will participate in the manufacturing of F-35s which will be produced by nine countries led by Lockheed Martin in a USD 10 billion project for about 20 years.
F-35s are expected to be delivered to Turkey starting 2014. Turkey is set to purchase 30 new F-16 Block 50 jets to meet the additional need until that time.