The US and Turkey have agreed to Turkey’s purchase of 30 F-16 Block 50 fighters. A Lockheed Martin statement says the new F-16s would have the same advanced features the company currently is installing on Turkey’s current F-16 fleet. Lockheed will get approximately $1.1 billion of the total $1.8 billion agreed purchase price. Turkey began last year to work an agreement to purchase more F-16s and is still a partner on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
The Air Force's new Aircraft Readiness Unit will maintain and provide Collaborative Combat Aircraft for operations, but won’t serve as a “schoolhouse” teaching fighter pilots how to manage these escort drones.