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Turkey eyes US fighter jet engines amid F-35 dispute
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Conflict & Security

Turkey eyes US fighter jet engines amid F-35 dispute

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Turkey may secure dozens of fighter jet engines from the U.S. during President Trump's NATO summit visit, potentially aiding its KAAN stealth fighter project.
  • The U.S. previously expelled Turkey from the F-35 program and imposed sanctions due to its acquisition of Russian S-400 missile systems.
  • Analysts suggest the U.S. may approve the sale of F110 engines for the KAAN, but Turkey's F-35 exclusion continues to drive its focus on domestic defense capabilities.

Turkey's ambition to develop its own fifth-generation fighter jet, the KAAN, may receive a significant boost from a potential U.S. approval for dozens of F110 fighter jet engines. Analysts believe President Donald Trump's visit to Ankara for the NATO summit could pave the way for this crucial acquisition, which is vital for the KAAN's development.

It's likely to be the green light for the F110 GE engines for the KAAN fighter plane, about 40 of them. There had been obstacles to that supply and very possibly those are now being removed.

— Sinan UlgenDirector of the Istanbul-based Edam think tank, commenting on the potential U.S. approval of F110 engine sales.

The KAAN project aims to replace the Turkish Air Force's F-16 fleet and position Turkey among nations producing advanced combat aircraft. While Turkey plans to eventually equip the KAAN with domestically produced engines, the F110s are seen as a necessary interim step. Turkey has already received an initial batch of F110 engines and is seeking to acquire 80 more, a deal that has been complicated by U.S. sanctions and Turkey's 2017 purchase of Russian S-400 missile defense systems.

The CAATSA issue must be resolved. The US needs to take steps both regarding the F-35 and the engines for KAAN. KAAN's engines are currently awaiting approval in the US Congress.

— Hakan FidanTurkish Foreign Minister, highlighting the need for U.S. action on sanctions and engine sales.

The S-400 acquisition led to Turkey's expulsion from the F-35 program in 2019 and subsequent U.S. sanctions, significantly impacting Turkish defense projects. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has emphasized the need for the U.S. to resolve the CAATSA sanctions and approve the engine sales for the KAAN, a statement that raised domestic questions given previous assertions of full domestic production. Despite these hurdles, Turkey's exclusion from the F-35 program has spurred a greater focus on self-sufficiency in defense manufacturing.

Without those engines, Türkiye cannot produce the KAAN jet.

— Ozgur UnluhisarcikliHead of the German Marshall Fund in Ankara, emphasizing the engine's importance for the KAAN project.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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