A Turkish Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft was destroyed in a crash on 1 December. The pilot ejected and survived.
The fighter, from 152 Squadron, crashed 36 km southeast of the 5th Main Jet Base Merzifon following take-off on a planned training flight, the Turkish General Staff stated. The cause of the incident is not currently known.
Turkish F-16s have regularly scrambled in recent months to intercept Russian fighters flying close to Turkish airspace over the Black Sea. The most recent crash of a Turkish F-16 occurred in May 2013 when one aircraft came down close to the Syrian border, killing the pilot.
