The tailart on Turkish F-16s is second to none in Europe in both colour as well as in design. This picture might help in the identification of the units. Thanks to Jaco Haasnoot for supplying most of the pictures.

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Ankara/Etimesgut (LTAD)
RWY 11L/29R, 11R/29L POS 39°56'59"N 032°41'19"E ELEV 2653 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
11nci HUAÜK	211 Filo	CN235M-100 (Cargo and Ambulance)	Gegzin (Globetrotter)

	212 Özel Filo	Ce560 Ce650 Gulfstream IV G550 UH-1H CN235M-100	Dogan (Hawk)

	GES Hava Birligi	CN235EW (ELINT/SIGINT)

Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Başbakanlık	VIP Flt	A319-115 (ACJ) A319-133 (ACJ) A330-243 A340-542 CL-850 Ce560 G450 G550

GES = Genelkurmay Elektronik Sistemler or Joint Staff Electronics Command.

The Turkish Air Force initiated the locally designated program "Hava Platformunda Uzaktan Elektronik Destek ve Elektronik Taarruz Kabiliyeti Kazanimi Projesi" or in short, the Hava SOJ. The HAVA SOJ stand-off jammer aircraft is designed to suppress enemy air defense surveillance and long range detection and jamming missions. The platform is build on the Canadair Global 6000. This is MSN 9854 TC-SJA at Izmir Adnan Menderes in May 2020.

Berk Ürşen

Ankara/Mürted (LTAE)
RWY 03/21 (03L/21R) POS 40°04'44"N 032°33'56"E ELEV 2767 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI)	TAI	Various	Aircraft manufacture and overhaul

Now disbanded 142 Filo was the first unit to receive the CFT-equiped F-16 Block 50+. During mid-2015 all frontline units received the type.

Marco Dijkshoorn

Balikesir (LTBF)
RWY 18/36 (18R/36L) POS 39°37'09"N 027°55'33"E ELEV 340 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
9nci AJÜ	191 Filo (disbanded)	F-16C-40TM F-16D-40TM F-16C-50TM F-16D-50TM	Kobra (Cobra)

	192 Filo	F-16C-40TM F-16D-40TM	Kaplan (Tiger)	ye/bk

	193 Eğitim Filo (OCU)	F-16C-30 F-16D-30 F-16C-50 F-16D-50	Öncel	ye/bk

191 Filo was disbanded and all the aircraft were transferred to 192 Filo during July/August 2018. 193 Filo received the tradition and aircraft of 153 Filo during July/August 2018. 153 Filo received its aircraft from 143 Filo in nov16. Both 143 and 153 Filos have been disbanded.

Bandirma (LTBG)
RWY 18/36 (18R/36L) POS 40°19'05"N 027°58'40"E ELEV 170 ft Airfield Guide Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
6nci AJÜ	161 Filo	F-16C-40TM F-16D-40TM F-16C-50+ F-16D-50+	Yarasa (Bat)	wh/bk

	162 Filo (disbanded)	F-16C-40TM F-16D-40TM	Zipkin (Harpoon)

	6 AJÜ A&KK	AS532UL	Umut (Hope)

161 is a LANTIRN squadron and to underline the night strike mission of it, one side of its F-16’s tails are painted with hawk and the other side with a Bat (Yarasa). 162 Filo was disbanded during July/August 2018 and all the aircraft were transferred to 161 Filo.

Batman (LTCJ)
RWY 02/20 POS 37°55'45"N 041°06'59"E ELEV 1822 ft Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
Batman Meydan Harekat Komutanlığı	1nci İnsansız Hava Aracı Filo	Unknown UAV

	341 inci Filo	Heron 1 "Gozcu 1" UAV	Golge (Shadow)

	IHA Bakim Komutanlığı	UAV Maintenance UAV Overhaul

2nci IHA Filo was renumbered during June 2018 to 341 Filo. IHA Bakim Komutanligi = UAV Maintenance Unit 14ncü İnsansız Uçak Sistemleri Üs Komutanlığı = 14th Unmanned Aircraft Systems Base Command

125 Filo is one of the units operating the CN235M-100. It was expanded during 2009 after the disbandmend of 203 Filo at Izmir Adnan Menderes.

Marco Dijkshoorn

Diyarbakir (LTCC)
RWY 16/34, 16R/34L POS 37°53'37"N 040°12'02"E ELEV 2254 ft Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
8nci AJÜ	181 Filo	F-16C-40TM F-16D-40TM F-16C-50+ F-16D-50+	Pars (Leopard)

	182 Filo	F-16C-40TM F-16D-40TM	Atmaca (Hawk)

	202 A&K Filo	CN235M-100 AS532UL	Sark (East)

182 Filo F-16D touches down at Albacete, Spain during Exercise Trident Juncture in November 2015.

Jens Schymura

Eskisehir (LTBI)
RWY 09/27 (09R/27L) POS 39°47'03"N 030°34'56"E ELEV 2581 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
1nci AJÜ	111 Filo	F-4E-2020	Panter (Panter)

	113 Filo	RF-16C/D with DB-110 mods F-16C-30TM F-16C-50TM F-16D-30TM F-16D-50TM	Ceylan (Gazelle) (was Isik (Light))	rd/bk

	201 A&K Filo	CN235M-100 AS532UL	Atak (Audacious)

	401 Test Filosu	F-16C-30 F-16C-40TM F-4E-2020	Rüya (Dream)	or

113 Ceylan Filo was formed after the failed Coup on July 15, 2016. It took over the role of 142 Filo and operates the F-16's that can be equipped with the DB-110 Recce pod. 113 Filo was disbanded in April 2014 but was reinstated in 2016. 201 Filo got the A&K (Arama ve Kurtarma = Search & Rescue) designation by mid-2016. 401 Filo was formed in early 2014. Its mission is Test & Evaluation of new systems and weapons.

Incirlik (LTAG)
RWY 05/23 POS 37°00'07"N 035°25'32"E ELEV 238 Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
10nci TÜK	101 Filo	KC-135R	Asena

	152 Filo	F-16C-40TM F-16D-40TM	Akinci (Raiders)	ye/bk

	204 A&K Filo	AS532UL

14ncü İnsansız Uçak Sistemleri Üs Komutanlığı	302 Filo	Anka-S UAV	Simsek (Light)

152 Filo moved from Merzifon to Incirlik after the 15 July 2016 coup-attempt. By 2018 this move was permanent and the unit lost the Block 30 F-16s in the process.

101 Filo is one of the newest Filo's in the Turkish Air Force, operating the KC-135R in the Aerial Refueling role.

Marco Dijkshoorn

Istanbul/Atatürk (LTBA)
RWY 06/24, 18L/36R, 18R/36L POS 40°58'34"N 028°48'50"E ELEV 158 ft Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
Hava Harp Okulu	126 Filo	T-41D	(Sparrow Flight)

	HvHO A&KK	UH-1H

Yesilköy is the miltary part of Istanbul - Atatürk International Airport. 126 Filo (previously HvHO 5 Filo/Serçe Kol) is the only flying class. The other HvHO classes have no aircraft assigned to them but do have their own patches. 126 Filo uses Yalova, just across the Bosporus as a Forward Operating Base due to the congested airspace around Atatürk IAP.

The T-41D is the second platform that the aspirant pilots of the Turkish Air Force will fly, after being trained on Gliders. The T-41Ds of the Hava Harp Okulu are officially operated out of Istanbul Yesilköy Hava Meydani but have regular camps on Yalova Hava Meydani, just south of Yesilköy.

Marco Dijkshoorn

Istanbul/Sabiha Gökçen (LTFJ)

Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
Türkiye Cumhuriyeti Başbakanlık	VIP Flt.	B747-8ZV

Izmir/Kakliç (LTFA)
RWY 17/35 POS 38°31'01"N 026°58'37"E ELEV 17 ft Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
2nci JÜUO	123 Başlangıç Eğitim Filosu	SF260D Super Mushshak (o/o)	Palaz (Duckling Flt.)

	125 Nakliye ve SAR Egitim Filosu	UH-1H AS532UL CN235M-100	Azman (Monstrous)

It is to be expected that the SF260D aircraft will be replaced by the PAC Super Mushshak trainers that were ordered in 2016. 125 Filo took over the transport role of 203 Filo that used to be at Izmir Adnan Menderes. In turn, 125 Filo was tasked with training of CN235, AS532 and UH-1H advanced training and was transferred to Konya-based 135 Filo.

125 Filo has been expanding over the past few years, receiving a number of CN235M-100 transport aircraft, AS532AL heavy lift Cougar helicopters and UH-1H Huey helicopters.

Marco Dijkshoorn

Izmir/Çigli (LTBL)
RWY 17/35 (17L/35R) POS 38°30'47"N 027°00'36"E ELEV 16 ft Airfield Guide Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
2nci JÜUO	121 Tekamül Filosu	T-38M	Ari (Bee)

	122 Temel Filosu	KT-1T Hürkus B	Akrep (Scorpion)

	Öğretmen Yetiştirme Standardize ve Alet Filosu	aircraft on loan from 121 & 122 Filolar	Standarize (Standardization)

The T-38A's of 121 Filo underwent the "Ari" upgrade at the TAI facilities from 2009 onwards. The first KAI KT-1T for 122 Filo rolled out of production in 2009, earmarking the end of the T-37 era in TuAF service. The first examples were officially accepted on 15 December 2010. Initially they are operated by 124 Filo for instructor training.

The T-38A fleet was completely overhauled under the "Ari" (Bee) upgrade at TAI, Akinici. After the upgrade the aircraft were designated as T-38M and painted in a different livery.

Marco Dijkshoorn

Kayseri/Erkilet (LTAU)
RWY 07/25 (07L/25R) POS 38°46'13"N 035°29'44"E ELEV 3463 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
12nci HUAÜ	221 Filo	A400M C-160D	Esen (Brise)

	222 Filo	C-130B C-130E	Alev (Flame)

The C-160D is still soldiering on, despite the delivery of the Airbus Military A400M.

Marco Dijkshoorn

Konya (LTAN)
RWY 01L/19R, 01R/19L POS 37°58'41"N 032°33'42"E ELEV 3390 ft Airfield Guide Show Reports Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
3ncu AJEÜ	131 Filo	E-7T (B737AEW&C)	Ejder (Dragon)

	132 Filo	F-16C-30TM F-16D-30TM F-16C-50 F-16D-50	Hançer (Dagger)

	134 (Akrotim) Filo	NF-5A-2000 NF-5B-2000	Türk Yildizlari (Turkish Stars)

	135 Pk ve İHK Filo	Hürkus C AS532UL CN235M-100 UH-1H	Ates (Fire)

132 Filo at Konya transferred its F-4E-2020 to 111 Filo at Eskisehir during 2014. Its mission was changed from Weapons, Tactics & Test to Combat. The TurAF marketing machine Solotürk has moved from Mürted to Konya in July 2016 and is now operating under 132 Filo. The unit received Block 30 F-16s from 153 Filo when that was disbanded. 3 AJÜ A&KK was renamed to 135 Filo in 2010. It received the Hürkus C in 2021 for JTAC/FAC training.

Malatya/Erhac (LTAT)
RWY 03L/21R, 03R/21L POS 38°26'05"N 038°05'26"E ELEV 2828 ft Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
7nci AJÜ	171 Filo	F-35A (order canx)	Korsan (Pirates)	rd/bk

	172 Filo	F-35A (order canx)	Sahin (Falcon)

	173 Filo	Armed UAV. Type?	Safak (Dawn)

	7 AJÜ A&KK	AS532UL	Burak

After 15 July 2016, 171 Filo was disbanded. It's aircraft were transferred to 111 Filo at Eskisehir, which is now the only unit in TurAF operating the F-4E-2020. The unit will receive the first F-35A in 2018. 172 Filo was disbanded during April 2009, awaiting the F-35 Lightning II. Between 2005 and 2007 173 Filo was an OCU-unit, this role was taken over by 172 Filo. After the disbandment of 113 Filo in 2014, 173 Filo is or will be the Armed UAV uint operting TIHA, Heron, Preator and Reaper).The RF-4E/TM Recce role is taken over by the F-16C/D with the UTC Aerospace DB-110 pods. 173 Filo will be or is operating armed UAV's (TIHA, Heron, Preator and Reaper).

Merzifon (LTAP)
RWY 05/23 (05L/23R) POS 40°49'44"N 035°31'18"E ELEV 1783 Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
5nci AJÜ	151 Filo	F-16C-40TM F-16D-40TM F-16C-50TM F-16D-50TM	Savasan Kurt (Fighting Wolf), was Tunç (Bronze)	rd/bk

	153 Filo (disbanded)	ex 143 Filo which was disbanded after failed coup 15jul16, disbanded. -> Tradition to 153 Filo and later 193 Filo Used to operate: F-16C-30 F-16D-30 F-16C-50 F-16D-50	Öncel	ye/bk

	203 A&K Filo	AS532UL	Melek (Angel)

After the July 2015 coup, 151 Filo was named "Fighting Wolves", contrary to Anatolian Wolves that was used before for 141 Filo. During 2017/2018 it received Block 40 F-16sbesides classical HARM-armed Block 50s. 153 Filo was officially erected on 9 November 2016 at Merzifon and it operates the former fleet of 143 Filo. It was formed after the failed coup attempt of 15 July 2016. 153 Filo operates in the OCU role that 143 Filo held previously and kept the same badge. Later, the unit was re-erected as 193 Filo at Balikesir. 5 AJÜ A&KK was renamed 203 A&K Filo

Yalova (LTBP)
RWY 08/26, 18/36 POS 40°41'04"N 029°22'33"E ELEV 6 ft Airfield Guide Google Maps
Wing	Squadron	Aircraft Type(s)	Name	Tailcolour	Badge
Hava Harp Okulu	Planör Kampi	SZD50-3 Puchacz	Marti (Seagull)

	126 Filo (det.)	T-41D (det.)

5 Filo/Serçe Kol was renamed 126 Filo.

The selection of pilots for the Turkish Air Force is done with the SZD-50-3 Puchacz gliders that are operated by the Hava Harp Okulu Planör Kampi.

TuAF picture

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