The special coverage published in the 58th issue of MSI Turkish Defence Review (TDR) is below:
A unique aircraft with special features, the F-35 requires certain infrastructure and equipment at the bases where it will be deployed, and preparing these air bases in line with these needs requires know-how and experience specific to the project. In Turkey, the address of this know-how and experience is HAVELSAN.
The Turkish Air Force (TurAF) will deploy its first F-35 aircraft at 7th Main Jet Base Command in Malatya, which is currently being prepared for the arrival of F-35s under the Base Activation Project conducted by the Undersecretariat for Defence Industries (SSM). The prime contractor in the project is HAVELSAN, which will ready the facilities before the planned arrival of the first aircraft in Turkey in November 2019.
Due to a special coating that reduces radar signature, the F-35 requires special maintenance and sustainment operations. The bases at which the aircraft will be deployed need to have specific infrastructures in this regard.
Turn-key Solution
Under the project, HAVELSAN will prepare the facilities in line with the requirements defined by Lockheed Martin, and will deliver them to TurAF as a turn-key solution. The project foresees the construction, modification and furnishing of 26 different buildings, including an Integrated Training Centre, aircraft maintenance hangars, fleet headquarters, aircraft shelters, logistic facilities, social facilities and warehouses, as well as the establishment of an IT infrastructure to serve these buildings, which cover an area of some 90,000 square meters.
Once the construction works are completed, the critical facilities will be accredited by Lockheed Martin, and those granted accreditation will enter into service.
The simulators to be used in the training of F-35 pilots will be provided by Lockheed Martin and will be integrated into the full mission simulator rooms in the Integrated Training Centre, the construction of which is underway. HAVELSAN will also take part in the integration of the simulators and will then offer logistic support services.
The design works related to the construction of the infrastructure and superstructure of the facilities all been completed, and the construction works are continuing.
(Left to right) Mehmet Akif Nacar, Vice President at HAVELSAN; Prof. Dr. Hacı Ali Mantar, Chairman of the Board of Directors at HAVELSAN; and Dr. Mehmet Demiroğlu, Director of Turboshaft Programmes at TEI, in front of the aircraft with tail number 18-0001 at a ceremony held at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facilities on June 21 to mark the completion of Turkey’s first two F-35 aircraft.
HAVELSAN to Continue Offering Support
There are plans in place to integrate the F-35 simulators to be installed in Malatya into the existing simulators of TurAF, and it is also intended to make the facility the largest integrated training centre in the Middle East, and to use it for the training of the pilots of friendly nations. This will add a further dimension to Turkey’s involvement in the F-35 programme, extending its production contributions to include other lifecycle responsibilities, including training, which will proceed with the cooperation of partner countries.
HAVELSAN, a centre of excellence for simulation and training technologies in the Turkish defence and aerospace sector, is ready to assume responsibility in these fields. The company has previously undertaken the F-16 Simulator Procurement (F16SIM) Project of TurAF, and had offered for use the F-16 Simulator Training Centres, again as a turn-key system. These training centres, which include a Full Mission Simulator (FMS), a Weapons and Tactical Trainer (WTT), a Forward Air Controller Simulator (FACS), a Debriefing System and a Tactical Monitoring Centre (TMC), are continuing to serve TurAF in the training of F-16 pilots.
F-35 maintenance will be carried out through the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), which will be one of the infrastructures to be made ready at the relevant bases.