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REPORT: ISRAEL NO LONGER 'FRIEND' FOR TURKEY'S F-16S, WARSHIPS
Today's Zaman
Sept 13 2011
Turkey
A Turkish Air Force F-16 jet fighter prepares to take off from an
air base in the central anatolian city of Konya in this April 28,
2010 file photo. (Photo: Reuters)
Turkey's Military Electronics Industry (ASELSAN) has produced a new
identification friend or foe (IFF) system for Turkish jet fighters,
warships and submarines and the new software, contrary to the older,
US-made version, does not automatically identify Israeli planes and
ships as friends, a news report said on Tuesday.
The new IFF has already been installed in Turkish F-16s and is expected
to be installed in all Navy ships and submarines, the report, published
in Turkish daily Star, said. It will be fully operational when it is
installed in all military planes, warships and submarines.
The F-16 jet fighters, purchased from the US, came with pre-installed
IFF software that automatically identifies Israeli fighters and
warships as friends, disabling Turkish F-16s from targeting Israeli
planes or ships. ASELSAN-made IFF will allow Turkish military
commanders to identify friends and foes on the basis of national
considerations.
Turkey was unable to make modifications to the friend or foe
identification codes in US-made F-16s, while Israel was given a
different version of the software allowing Israeli authorities to
make modifications. Israel was also authorized to view the version
given to Turkey, according to Star.
The report comes amid a severe crisis in ties with former ally Israel.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan set the stage for a possible naval
confrontation with Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying last
week that Turkish military ships will escort civilian ships carrying
aid to Gaza, under an Israeli blockade since 2007.
A news report on Monday said three frigates were to be sent to the
Eastern Mediterranean to protect aid ships from a possible interception
by Israeli warships. The frigates, according to the report, will get
as close as 100 meter to any Israeli military ship if those ships
are outside of Israeli territorial waters.
Star also suggested that the new IFF system could be linked to a
series of suspicious suicides in ASELSAN. Three ASELSAN engineers
committed suicide in 2006 and 2007, but the media speculated that the
engineers might have been murdered given the families' testimonies
that the suicides seem to come out of the blue with no warning signs.
The report added that all three engineers had worked on the new IFF
system to be used for F-16 fighters.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-256618-report-israel-no-longer-friend-for-turkeys-f-16s-warships.html
Today's Zaman
Sept 13 2011
Turkey
A Turkish Air Force F-16 jet fighter prepares to take off from an
air base in the central anatolian city of Konya in this April 28,
2010 file photo. (Photo: Reuters)
Turkey's Military Electronics Industry (ASELSAN) has produced a new
identification friend or foe (IFF) system for Turkish jet fighters,
warships and submarines and the new software, contrary to the older,
US-made version, does not automatically identify Israeli planes and
ships as friends, a news report said on Tuesday.
The new IFF has already been installed in Turkish F-16s and is expected
to be installed in all Navy ships and submarines, the report, published
in Turkish daily Star, said. It will be fully operational when it is
installed in all military planes, warships and submarines.
The F-16 jet fighters, purchased from the US, came with pre-installed
IFF software that automatically identifies Israeli fighters and
warships as friends, disabling Turkish F-16s from targeting Israeli
planes or ships. ASELSAN-made IFF will allow Turkish military
commanders to identify friends and foes on the basis of national
considerations.
Turkey was unable to make modifications to the friend or foe
identification codes in US-made F-16s, while Israel was given a
different version of the software allowing Israeli authorities to
make modifications. Israel was also authorized to view the version
given to Turkey, according to Star.
The report comes amid a severe crisis in ties with former ally Israel.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan set the stage for a possible naval
confrontation with Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean, saying last
week that Turkish military ships will escort civilian ships carrying
aid to Gaza, under an Israeli blockade since 2007.
A news report on Monday said three frigates were to be sent to the
Eastern Mediterranean to protect aid ships from a possible interception
by Israeli warships. The frigates, according to the report, will get
as close as 100 meter to any Israeli military ship if those ships
are outside of Israeli territorial waters.
Star also suggested that the new IFF system could be linked to a
series of suspicious suicides in ASELSAN. Three ASELSAN engineers
committed suicide in 2006 and 2007, but the media speculated that the
engineers might have been murdered given the families' testimonies
that the suicides seem to come out of the blue with no warning signs.
The report added that all three engineers had worked on the new IFF
system to be used for F-16 fighters.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-256618-report-israel-no-longer-friend-for-turkeys-f-16s-warships.html