Taking advantage of the high geostrategic significance for the NATO bloc in the Middle East theater of operations, Turkey continues to receive solid military-technical support from Western countries even when the inhuman and openly terrorist actions of its authorities and military against neighboring states, with which they had previously had partner relations, it would seem should cause maximum criticism from the international community. And this privilege, as well as NATO membership, the Turkish elite uses to realize their economic benefits, "stained with blood and grief" of the Syrian military personnel and their families, as well as ordinary people throughout Europe.
In one of our previous articles, we analyzed the positive effect of the deployment of S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems near the Khmeimim airbase and near the western borders of Armenia. This completely cut off the capabilities of the deployed operational-tactical missile systems "Yildirim" and complexes with medium-range ballistic missiles in the main operational directions of Turkey (northeastern and southern ON). Great hopes of the Turkish army and the manufacturer TUBITAK are pinned on these missile systems. But, like every power that claims regional supremacy, Turkey has not limited itself to ballistic missiles; modernization work is going on in all areas of military technology. The most important defense programs are carried out for a very long time, everything is worked out carefully, the most eminent Western European manufacturers are selected for the development and purchase of each structural element.
One of such programs can be considered the actively developing project of the 5th generation stealth fighter TF-X, which does not lag behind the similar South Korean program KF-X, as well as the Swedish project of the light multipurpose fighter FS2020 (Gripen Stealth Fighter). The Turkish draft design bears the greatest similarity with the latter. The first prototype TF-X can take off in 2023; all thanks to the support of the European technological base used earlier in the Typhoon fighter. For example, the British company Rolls-Royce offers the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) TRDDF EJ-200, which is distinguished by a high thrust-to-weight ratio among most modern jet engines, as well as compactness for the least radar signature. TAI makes very stringent requirements for the choice of the power plant, wanting to get the minimum EPR TF-X, since it is the Middle East and the Mediterranean that are already saturated with the most modern types of air defense systems, as well as the best examples of Russian tactical aviation.
The images show three well-known concepts of the Turkish 5th generation TF-X fighter project. Based on the upper one, we can talk about the small RCS of the aircraft of the project: the small midship of the samples "S100" and "S200" indicates a low radar signature at any angle of irradiation of the enemy radar, which is even less than that of the F-35A. Along with the twin-engine version of the TF-X, TAI is also considering modifications to the single-engine fighter (with PGO, as well as standard influx), apparently due to technological support from Saab, which specializes in single-engine vehicles.
It is known that the TF-X project belongs to the light class of fighters with a minimum midship area, as evidenced by the draft designs of the Turkish fighter. The compact glider and the narrow fuselage of the vehicle are provided in both single-engine and twin-engine versions. TRDDF EJ-200 is distinguished by: increased bypass ratio (0, 4), high ratio of maximum thrust to afterburner (0, 7), high thrust-to-weight ratio (9, 54). Therefore, the installation of the EJ-200 on the TF-X will allow the aircraft to have a high thrust-to-weight ratio and acceleration qualities even at maximum engine operation, not to mention afterburner. The aircraft will be able to fly at a supersonic cruising speed of up to 1, 4 - 1, 5M (approximate figures). Judging by the technical images, any of the versions of the machine will have sagging at the roots of the wing, and the ratio of the wingspan of the large area to the length will be minimal, i.e. the Turkish fighter will be maneuverable enough for close combat, significantly superior to the American F-35A, and possibly the F-16C Block 52+. The EJ-200 has a small compressor diameter (740 mm), which will also play a role in reducing the radar signature of the airframe. The last criterion of the Turkish Air Force is given the greatest importance.
The Turkish defense industry does not have the experience and technology for the production of modern turbojet engines, so power plants will be purchased in Western Europe for at least a couple of decades. But the airborne radar with AFAR will be developed by the Turkish company ASELSAN, which has been specializing in the development of avionics for various types of military equipment for 40 years.
The arrival of TF-X fighters in the Turkish Air Force's fleet will several times increase the strike and defensive capabilities of tactical aviation, given that their action will be supported by 116 multipurpose F-35A and coordinated by 4 Boeing 737AEW Peace Eagle AWACS aircraft. The large number of stealth fighters in the Turkish Air Force will create many additional threats to the Greek Air Force and Air Defense, which are subject to regular violations of their own airspace over the Aegean Sea, as well as to the Russian Armed Forces. This threat is especially relevant in the likely Caucasian theater of operations, where high mountain ranges create many "blind spots" for review by AWACS not only ground-based, but also air-based (A-50, A-100) in the event that TF-X and F- 35A will operate at extremely low altitudes, "repeating" the terrain.
Strengthening the Turkish Air Force with promising aviation is not the only threat to the RF Armed Forces and our allies. The project of the main battle tank "Altay", as well as the improvement of the MBT already in service with the Turkish Army, is progressing at a rapid pace.
Recently it was reported that the serial production of the advanced Turkish tank "Altay" will start in 2017. All experimental combat vehicles have already passed running and firing tests over the past years. The first batch should be 250 tanks, which can go into service with the Turkish army and the troops of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan, which will undoubtedly change the balance of power throughout Central Asia. But most of all this will be reflected in the Middle East.
The Turkish ground forces are armed with more than 3,000 tanks, of which about 500 units (16%) can be safely attributed to more or less modern technology. These are "Leopard 2A4" (339 tanks) and M60-T Mk II "Sabra" (170 tanks), which are equipped with modern computerized control systems and powerful 120-mm NATO-standard guns. MBT M60-T Mk II - Israeli version of the deep modernization of the American M60A3. Additional modular armor protection of the turret, developed on the basis of armor modules for the turret of the Mercava Mk IV tank, brings the armor resistance of the frontal projection of the Sabra tank to about 450 - 500 mm (from BOPS), i.e. up to the indicators of the MBT T-72B, not equipped with DZ modules. The specialists of the Israel Military Industry company also strengthened the upper frontal part, equipping it with DZ modules. An important innovation in the Sabra's armor is the maximum possible protection of the cannon mask, which is traditionally the weak point of many MBTs. The new 120mm MG253 smoothbore cannon has significantly increased the Sabra's firepower, including the effective range and penetration of the OBPS cores used. MG253 is adapted to the use of the most common BOPS of NATO countries (American M829A1-A3 and German DM53), which differ in armor plate penetration equivalent to 700-850 mm of homogeneous steel dimensions. Therefore, we can confidently talk about a real threat from the Sabra tanks for the Syrian T-72B, Iranian MBT Zulfikar and many other vehicles.
The "Knight" ("Abir") fire control system is fully computerized and based on the optical-electronic and infrared sights of the Israeli companies "Elbit Systems" and "El-Op Industries Ltd". The Knight MSA is, in fact, a modernized Israeli Baz MSA, developed in the mid-90s for the Mercava Mk.3 tank, and therefore the Sabra can be considered a very formidable opponent for any modern tank. But this car also has a serious drawback. Like most Western and Israeli tanks, the M60-T Mk II has a huge mass (59 tons), and the diesel MTU 881 Ka-501 produces no more than 1000 hp, which is why the specific power is 17 hp / ton barely allows it to surpass the figure of the first versions of the T-62 medium tank. Therefore, the main tactic of the "Sabra" MBT in the theater of operations is to fire from an ambush using only the power of weapons and the perfection of the avionics, while the frontal confrontation with modern tanks and ATGMs of the "Kornet", "Metis" type, etc. will end for the sluggish M60 -T Mk II defeat.
But the Turkish army also has tanks for direct frontal confrontation, which will not act, citing the advantages of the terrain and the tactical situation. Experienced main battle tanks "Leopard-2NG" and pre-production vehicles of the new generation "Altay" are such examples.
"Leopard-2NG" ("Next Generation") - deeply modernized "Leopard 2A4". The development of the project of this version of "Leopard-2" belongs to the Turkish company "Aselsan"; the tank is also known under the name MBT "Revolution", as it was presented at the exhibition "Eurosatory 2010". It embodies the most advanced ideas of the company, which can only compete with such upgrades as the little-known German project of the tank for urban battles “Jaguar. A4 "or Russian T-90MS" Tagil ".
A little-known project of a German tank for urban combat “Jaguar. A4 ". These "sketches" migrated to us from the German Internet, and, apparently, are the brainchild of network surveys of amateurs of armored vehicles from Germany. But it is worth noting that the presented tank has a very real layout and very advanced armor protection elements. The gun (L-44) is equipped with a barrel bore metering device (UUI), and the geometry of the turret practically repeats the shape of the turret of the Israeli MBT "Merkava Mk.4". PKE cases have a modular design and large dimensions; allow you to protect the power plant and the driver from damage from RPGs and large-caliber BMP cannons. Today, the tasks of the "city tank" can be performed by any modernized "Leopard-2A5" that has received the PSO "Peacemaker" update package
It was decided to develop the Next Generation program on the basis of the aging Turkish Leopard 2A4, since these tanks have the most serious modernization potential compared to the M60-T Mk II and M60A3, which have reached the technical limit of improvement. On a small part of the "Leopards", additional modules of composite armor protection, including ceramics and other materials, have already been installed. The size of the modular elements is impressive, and covers not only the frontal projection of the tank, but also the sides of the turret and hull, which sharply increases the permissible angles of safe maneuvering in an active theater of operations. This moment increases the survivability of the tank in conditions when the width of the front line occupied by enemy fire weapons significantly predominates. Modular blocks on the frontal armor plates of the turret dramatically increase the resistance of the enemy's BOPS and KS from 580 and 1100 mm (for Leopard 2A4) to approximately 850 and 1350 mm (for Leopard-2NG). The tank's mobility is excellent, achieved by the standard 1500-horsepower MTU MB-837 Ka501 turbocharged diesel engine, which is standard for Leopards, producing a specific power of 23 hp / t (an excellent figure for a 65-ton colossus). High accuracy and information-tactical illumination of the crew, achieved by a high-quality EMES-15 gunner's rangefinder sight with a thermal imaging channel and a panoramic day sight of the commander PERI-R17A1 (allow combat at ranges of up to 3 km at night, as well as quickly inspect all tank-hazardous directions as far from tank, and within a radius of several tens to hundreds of meters), will become even better after the introduction of devices with the latest generation of IR matrices.
All 339 Turkish Leopard-2s can receive the NG update package, which should, in the near future, force the CSTO borders on the Armenian-Turkish border to be significantly strengthened: who knows what the almost uncontrollable Turkish leadership can “hit in the head” tomorrow, especially with the go-ahead from Washington.
The progress of the Altay MBT project looks more threatening. The Otokar company made every effort to start serial production of the first batch of the advanced tank in 2017. The "sharp" moment here is that the Turks were able to master the production of the 120-mm MKEK-120 (L55) gun, which is similar to the German Rh-120 / L-55. This gun is capable of providing the core of the M829A2 feathered armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile with an initial velocity of up to 1750 m / s (for L-44 guns it is about 1660 m / s), and this will increase both armor penetration and firing accuracy. In fact, our closest enemy will be able to mass produce tanks of the Leopard-2A6 / 7 level.
Of course, after the beginning of the arrival of the Armata in the Russian Army, the Turkish Altay is unlikely to be a very formidable enemy for us, but this fact cannot be written off, since there are plenty of important strategic directions for our army, in addition to the southwestern ON, and There are not so many “Armat” and “Tagilov” yet. Yet another unpredictable aggravation of the situation, associated with new groundless accusations of our Aerospace Forces from Turkey, makes us take a more serious look at the defense of our army units in Syria and the Southern Military District.
