ANKARA — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated Oct. 17 the USA has proposed the sale of a batch of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey to compensate Turkey’s $1.4 billion funding within the U.S.-led multinational F-35 program.
Turkey dedicated to purchase greater than 100 F-35s, however was faraway from this system after it determined to buy the Russian-made S-400 long-range air and anti-missile protection system.
Erdogan has been urgent the Biden administration both to ship the 2 F-35s constructed for the Turkish navy or return Turkey’s $1.4 billion cost for the plane.
Turkey’s present fleet of greater than 200 F-16s might be phased out by 2035. Almost 100 plane within the fleet await upgrades.
Turkey is also struggling to construct the TF-X, its first indigenous fighter jet, and is aiming to fly the stealth plane in 2025 or 2026.