Both 2021 and 2022 witnessed successes in the field of domestic and national defense industry. Indeed, 2023 is shaping up to be another remarkable year.
In 2022, Türkiye achieved many milestones, and its defense industry gained recognition not only within the country but also on a global scale, showcasing products in land, sea, and air systems.
Foreign press frequently highlights the innovations in Türkiye's defense industry. The U.S.-based defense industry newspaper, The Defence Post, covered Türkiye's F-16 development protocol in their recent article.
The newspaper announced that Türkiye has officially initiated the second phase of the domestic upgrade program for its F-16 fleet. It stated, "The Turkish Air Force's F-16 Block-30/40/50 jets will be modernized under the ÖZGÜR 2 program led by the Presidency of Defense Industries."
The article emphasized that Türkiye aims to modernize and structurally improve Block-30 aircraft with the ÖZGÜR 2 program, expanding the scope of structural and avionic upgrades for the F-16 Block 30/40/50 planes.
Among the upgrades mentioned are miniature bombs, Gökdağan and Bozdoğan missiles, a precision-guided munition kit, and a new generation radar.