Turkey is planning to buy a new fleet of F-16 fighter jets instead of upgrading aging F-4 fighters, Turkish Daily News reported on Wednesday.

If the plan is finalized, Turkey will buy 30 F-16s instead of upgrading 48 F-4s, Turkish Defence Industry Undersecretariat and chief procurement official Murad Bayar was quoted as saying.

Bayar noted that the opting for the F-16s was an "alternative," adding that the F-4 upgrade program would cost Turkey nearly 500 million U.S. dollars.

"We are not sure if it is worth spending that money for platforms that may be in service for another 8 to 10 years," he said.

"We will decide it in line with the current threat analysis," he said. "But I think we are heading for a cancellation of the upgrade program in favor of buying new fighters."

In 2005, Turkish Defense Ministry decided to task the country's civilian procurement office, the Undersecretariat for the Defense Industry, to administer the F-4 upgrade contract, under which 48 F- 4s are to be upgraded.

Source: Xinhua