Defense Minister Yaşar Güler stated that the U.S. may finally be willing to deliver the F-35 jets to Turkey.
Turkish Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler, shared some noteworthy updates during his speech at the Planning and Budget Committee in the Turkish Grand National Assembly. Addressing the current agenda, Güler mentioned Turkey’s renewed efforts to acquire the F-35 fighter jets from the United States.
NEW: Turkish Defense Minister Güler:
We currently have six F-35 jets in the United States.
Now that they see we have developed the KAAN, their stance has shifted, and they’re expressing willingness to deliver them.
We have resubmitted our proposal to acquire the F-35s. pic.twitter.com/nPySKEI9TA
— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 26, 2024
“We already have six F-35s over there,” he said, referring to the planes Turkey had purchased but never received due to the program’s suspension. “Now that they’ve seen our progress with KAAN, their stance seems to be shifting. They’re indicating that they might be willing to deliver them. We’ve officially resubmitted our offer to buy the F-35.”
As we reported in the past, Turkey had planned to purchase 100 of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing variants of the Joint Strike Fighter, the same version used by the U.S. Air Force. Ten Turkish companies were involved in the development and/or production of the 5th generation aircraft, with a total Turkish investment of more than $1 billion.
On May 10, 2018, the first F-35A (serial 18-0001) destined to the Turkish Air Force performed its first flight at Lockheed Martin Ft. Worth facility, Texas, piloted by US Navy test pilot Cmdr. Tony Wilson. The first flight of a Turkish pilot occurred few months later, in August 2018.
In the meanwhile several of U.S. congressmen had urged the U.S. administration to suspend the procurement of these fighters to Turkey because of the latter’s decision to buy Russian S-400 advanced air defense systems: there was widespread concern that the Turkish procurement could give Moscow access to critical details about the way their premiere surface-to-air missile system performs against the new 5th generation aircraft.
The U.S. eventually removed Turkey from the F-35 joint strike fighter program in July 2019, following Ankara’s acceptance of the S-400 Russian-made air defense system.
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To address its fighter jet shortfall, Turkey turned to purchasing more F-16s, a practical choice given that these aircraft already make up the bulk of its air force, and showed interest in other aircraft like the Eurofighter Typhoon.
In January 2024, Acting Deputy Secretary of State Victoria Nuland mentioned the possibility of Turkey rejoining the Joint Strike Fighter program during a visit to the country. Here’s an excerpt from a CNN Türk story.
Following Turkey’s approval of Sweden’s NATO membership, Nuland, who visited Ankara with the aim of “reviving bilateral relations,” said, “If the S-400 issue is resolved, the CAATSA sanctions will be lifted and we will talk about Turkey’s return to the F-35 program.” “Frankly, if we can resolve this S-400 issue, which we want to do, the US will be happy to accept Turkey back into the F-35 family. If we can overcome this issue, the CAATSA issue will be eliminated and we will be able to return to the F-35 conversations.”
In March this year, the Turkish government said it was hopeful that it would get back the funds it paid for the F-35 fighter jets, with negotiations ongoing, according to Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler. Additionally, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan mentioned that Turkey was open to discussions about rejoining the F-35 program, arguing that its removal from the program was unwarranted.
The recent news that the U.S. might reconsider its stance on Turkey’s S-400 acquisition, potentially reopening the F-35 deal, wasn’t entirely surprising.
The US no longer has any objections to Türkiye’s use of the S-400, Turkish defense minister said. pic.twitter.com/ro7ZEyHu3H
— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 26, 2024
After diplomatic shifts and improved relations, particularly with Turkey’s support for Sweden’s NATO bid, there were signs that the U.S. might revisit its position. This opens the door for renewed discussions, despite past security concerns over the S-400, especially given the increasing tensions with regional rival Greece, which has acquired 20 F-35s.
F-16 Modernization and KAAN
Güler also confirmed that Turkey had made the initial payment for the Block 70 purchase agreement and is set to acquire 40 F-16s: after being removed from the F-35 program in 2019 due to sanctions over its purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems, Ankara shifted focus to securing 40 Block-70 F-16 fighter jets along with 79 modernization kits from the U.S. The deal finally gained approval following Turkey’s support for Sweden’s NATO membership.
The minister emphasized Turkey’s ongoing commitment to strengthening its defense capabilities and hinted at a possible change in U.S. attitudes towards the F-35, alluding to influence by the progress Turkey has made with its KAAN fighter jet program, one of the most ambitious programs undertaken by Turkey in recent years.
In fact, while Turkish industries have demonstrated expertise in various fields, such as successful drone design and production, and licensed manufacturing of various aircraft types, creating a fully indigenous fifth-generation fighter jet presents a unique and challenging endeavor that underscores Turkey’s aspirations for advanced aerospace capabilities.
The indigenous aircraft design developed by the Turkish Aerospace Industries’ Engineering Center to replace the Turkish F-16 fleet by the 2030s. The first model of the aircraft, unveiled in 2019, bears striking resemblance to advanced aircraft like the F-22 Raptor and the F-35: for this reason someone speculated the Turks might find the JSF useful to further develop the KAAN fighter jet, whose prototype was rolled out in March 2023, showcasing Turkey’s commitment to advanced aerospace development. However, KAAN is said to have been designed to integrate seamlessly with the Turkish Air Force’s existing assets, theoretically also the F-35.
Details about the KAAN’s specifications are limited, but it is anticipated to achieve a top speed of Mach 1.8, reach a service ceiling of 55,000 feet, and be powered by two F110-GE129 engines, similar to those used in Turkish F-16C Block 50 jets, delivering 58,000 pounds of thrust.
