TAI upgrades T-38 trainer for air force

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

The Turkish Airspace Industries is scheduled to modernize a sum of 55 two engine T-38 type trainer planes of the Turkish Air Forces until 2014.

The Turkish Airspace Industries (TAI) has upgraded the Turkish Air Force’s first aging T-38 advanced fighter aircraft and delivered it to the force, the company has announced.

A statement released by the company said that it will be upgrading the Turkish Air Force’s total of 55 aircrafts under a contract for the Design, Development and Avionics Modernization of the T-38s with the
Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM).

A ceremony was held at the TAI plant near Ankara last week about the delivery of the first upgraded T-38 to the Turkish Air Force. Out of the 55 aircraft, a total of five will be upgraded at the TAI plant, while the rest will be modernized at the Turkish Air Force’s 1st Air Supply and Maintenance Center.

The avionically-modernized  T-38s will be delivered to the Turkish Air Force. The modernization effort will be completed  in 2014.

The Northrop T-38 Talon, a twin-engine supersonic jet trainer, was the world’s first supersonic trainer and is also the most produced. The T-38 remains in service as of 2012 in air forces throughout the world.
The Turkish T-38s were donated by the United States in the 1970s.