Erdogan presses US to manufacture F-35 fighters locally

Turkey tries to circumvent sanctions and recover strategic role in the production of critical American jet components

The president of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoganis intensifying negotiations with the United States to obtain authorization to produce critical components of jets manufactured by Boeing e Lockheed Martinin a movement that can reshape Türkiye’s role in the US defense industry and make way for its reintegration in the program F-35. The information was released by Bloomberg on September 23rd.

According to people close to the negotiations, Erdogan intends to link the order to the purchase of Hundreds of US aircraftoffering local manufacturing contracts evaluated in More than $ 10 billion. The goal is for these agreements to make up for multibillionaire payments for new aircraft, encouraging the Turkish defense industry and generating local jobs.

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The proposal must be presented directly by the Turkish President during the Meeting at the White House scheduled for Thursdaywhich will include discussions about the purchase of BOEING AND LOCKHEED MARTIN APPLIANCES. Ankara expects this meeting to serve to relieve years of diplomatic tensions, originated by the Turkish acquisition of Russian Antimissile Defense System S-400.

The purchase of the S-400 led the US to apply sanctions under the Law to combat America’s opponents through sanctions (Caatsa) And in 2019, it resulted in the exclusion of Türkiye from the F-35 program. The decision cost billions to local industry, as several Turkish companies had been hired to produce parts of the fighter, including the Central fuselage manufactured by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

Sources report that although Turkey has not given up on the S-400, Trump’s government could make sanctions more flexible to allow the purchase of 40 F-35a fighters and reopen contracts for 10 Turkish companies involved in the production of parts for the jets, which would add up to US $ 12 billion. In addition, Turkish technology companies could continue to provide critical software, while others could circumvent chemical restrictions imposed by the European Union, which make it difficult to manufacture certain components.

Defense experts state that Erdogan’s initiative represents a strategic effort to reintegrate to Türkiye to the Global Chain for Advanced Weapons Productionstrengthening its local industry and restoring ties with Washington in a highly sensitive sector. At the same time, the movement signals the willingness of Ankara de negotiate your geopolitical positionbalancing cooperation with the US and the maintenance of strategic Russian military systems in the country.

If approved, the agreement may not only revitalize lost industrial contracts, but also Paying a way back to the F-35 programreestablishing Turkey as a key partner in the production of essential components for the latest American fighters, strengthening their presence in the international defense market.

Besides the local production of parts, Erdogan seeks to consolidate the purchase of 40 new F-16 Viper aircraftaccompanied by pumps, missiles and reserve enginesin a strategic movement to modernize the Turkish Air Force. Sources close to negotiations explained that previous plans to acquire 79 update kits within a $ 23 billion agreement were replaced by Ankara’s new offensive in relation to the F-35a.

Turkey already maintains a fleet of approximately 240 F-16 fightersthe second largest in the world, behind only the United States. The acquisition of additional aircraft will allow the gradual retirement of older models, such as the F-4, until the Kaan domestic program Be totally operational, strengthening the country’s autonomous defense capacity.

According to Turkish and American authorities involved in the negotiations, Ankara also requested Authorization to purchase and assemble the Ge Aerospace F110 and F404 engineswhich equate not only US fighters, but also Turkish household projects Kaan e hurjet. Approval of this request could accelerate engine production in the US, precisely at a time of high global demand for aerospace components. So far, Washington has not officially commented on the issue.

In an interview with Fox NewsErdogan reinforced Türkiye’s position as a partner of the F-35 Projectremembering that Ankara has already disbursed $ 1.4 billion and that some aircraft were about to be delivered before the abrupt interruption of the process. “We have already paid $ 1.4 billion, and some of the aircraft were about to be delivered, but at the last minute, the process was interrupted,” said the Turkish President.

Erdogan also pointed out that the strengthening of economic and defense ties between Türkiye and the United States will have significant positive impactsnot only for Ankara’s military modernization, but also for the integration of the Turkish defense industry in the global chain for the supply of strategic components.

International analysts see Erdogan’s onslaught as an attempt to reconcile complex geopolitical and economic interestsbalancing cooperation with the US and the maintenance of domestic protection programs. The approval of parts production and the purchase of new F-16 and F-35 aircraft could mark a New chapter in the strategic partnership between Washington and Ankarapaving the way for more decades of military and industrial collaboration.

With information from The Cradle*