Ankara is prepared to consider purchasing Russian-made Su-35 and Su-57 fighter jets should it fail to reach agreement with United States on the delivery of F-16 fighter jets, the head of Turkey’s Defence Industries Presidency said on Monday.
İsmail Demir told Turkey’s NTV network on Monday that Turkey would “not be left without alternatives’’ if Washington failed to approve a deal on the F-16s following the situation over the F-35s.
“The issue of Su-35 and Su-57 planes may surface again at any time,” Demir said, referring to Ankara’s previous interest in the aircrafts.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Monday said Turkey was in talks with Washingtonto purchase F-16 fighter jets following Washington’s decision to exclude Ankara from the programme of developing the F-35 fifth-generation fighter over Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defence missile systems.
Turkey has paid $1.4 billion for the development and production of fifth generation F-35 fighter jets over the years, but Ankara was ejected from the programme in 2019 following its purchase of the Russian S-400s.
The United States. the S-400 system is incompatible with NATO technology and a threat to the Euro-Atlantic alliance and has sanctioned Turkey over the purchases.
Last month, Turkey sent a letter of request on 40 F-16s and 80 modernisation kits after getting kicked out of the F-35 programme in 2019 due to its acquisition of the Russian systems, according to Reuters.
Rick Rozoff says
If Erdogan succeeds in his demand on Biden to allot funds Turkey invested in the F-35 to acquire 40 more and update 80 existing U.S. F-16s, would that not contribute to giving Turkey one of the largest fleets of warplanes in the world?
Tavo says
We knew this was going to happen.
Typical blackmail by Turkey.
Don’t give in.
Tighten the sanctions and don’t give Turkey spare parts for the F-16s they have now.
Don’t beg Turkey. It’s cowardly and un-American.