Erdogan government says F-35 jets are not sold to Turkey due to superiority over F-16

Mahmut Faruk Akit, Managing Director of TUSAS Engine Industries (TEI), was a presenter at a panel discussion organized by Pamukkale University on October 26, during which he discussed fifth generation aircraft, comparing aircraft to reaction F-35 and F-16. He claimed that the United States did not sell the F-35 to Turkey because of its superior capabilities. It is important to note, however, that Turkey was one of the supplier countries for the F-35 program and took delivery of its first aircraft in 2018 from the United States. But Turkey was removed from the project in 2021 due to Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system, and the aircraft never actually left the United States.

Speaking about the aircraft's stealth technology and radar capabilities, Akit highlighted the advantages of the F-35 over the F-16. “There is a radar up front designed to detect incoming enemies,” he said. “If you look at radar technology, the F-16 has a radar range of 80 kilometers, while the F-35 extends up to 250 kilometers.”

Imagine a scenario in which the F-35 and F-16 are flying towards each other. You are in the F-16 and see nothing on the horizon. Meanwhile, the F-35 pilot can see you clearly, as if you are looking in a mirror. It locks on to you and fires a missile. You may only see the missile coming towards you, but you won't even be able to see the enemy plane. Do you understand now why they didn't sell us the F-35? he added.

Professor Akit is one of the prominent bureaucrats in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government and the son of Cevat Akit, a theologian known for frequently preaching in favor of the ruling party. In 2013, he was appointed general manager of TEI, a subsidiary of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI).

However, Turkish government officials have already provided various explanations for the lack of F-35 fighter jets in the country. For example, on December 26, 2023, Fuat Oktay, the former vice president, claimed during a meeting of the parliamentary foreign relations committee that Turkey had independently decided not to acquire the F-35.

Oktay said the Defense Department and Chief of Staff have long expressed a lack of interest in the F-35. He highlighted the position of the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) and the government, advocating the acquisition of the F-16 Block 60, a 4.5 generation aircraft, which they consider a more suitable option.

According to Oktay, the decline in the F-35's appeal was linked to a series of accidents and technical deficiencies that diminished its appeal. He claimed that Turkey's return to the F-16 was not due to an inability to acquire the F-35 but rather a lack of significant interest in the aircraft.

Turkey became part of the F-35 program on July 11, 2002, becoming the seventh international partner of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, joining the United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Denmark and Norway when it signed a memorandum of understanding. understanding the development and demonstration of the F-35 system, an initial phase of the JSF.

Furthermore, on June 20, 2018, a ceremony took place at the Lockheed Martin facilities in Texas to mark the delivery of the first aircraft under the F-35 project. At the ceremony, Serdar Demirel, then head of the Defense Industry Undersecretariat (later renamed the Defense Industry Presidency, SSB), representing the government, said that participation in the F-35 project was an honor for Turkey. The aircraft was to be brought to Türkiye in 2019 after the completion of pilot training; However, this never happened because the US administration officially withdrew Turkey from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program due to Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400 missile system in 2017. The United States has argued that integrating a Russian defense system into a NATO country's defense framework, while also possessing flight data related to the F-35, would jeopardize security of NATO.

According to former Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, the expulsion would cost Turkey $11 billion in export revenue because some F-35 components would no longer be manufactured in Turkey.

Unable to acquire the F-35, Turkey decided to modernize its aging F-16 fleet. However, this project faced obstacles due to American restrictions. Ultimately, Turkey managed to alleviate some of these obstacles by approving Sweden and Finland's membership in NATO. As a result, the United States lifted restrictions on the sale of F-16 aircraft and modernization kits to Turkey.

Meanwhile, Turkey continues to express interest in acquiring 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, even as the United States moves ahead with a $23 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Ankara. dollars.

One of the key points frequently highlighted by Erdogan is Turkey's ambition to produce its own fifth-generation fighter jet. The TAI KAAN, also known as the TF (Turkish Fighter) or Milli Muharip Uak (MMU) in Turkish, is an advanced twin-engine stealth fighter currently under development by Turkish Aerospace Industries. The British company BAE Systems acts as subcontractor for this ambitious project. The main objectives of the KAAN program include replacing aging F-16 aircraft currently in service with the Turkish Air Force and offering the aircraft for export to other countries. However, the project faces challenges as a reliable supply chain for the engines needed for KAAN has not yet been established and financial issues remain a concern.