Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has once again raised the issue of Ankara’s return to the U.S.-led F-35 fifth-generation fighter program, arguing that such a step would strengthen NATO security and help restore strategic relations with the United States.
According to Erdoğan, he discussed the matter directly with Donald Trump during a meeting at the White House in September, describing Turkey’s removal from the program as “unfair.” Turkey was excluded following its purchase of Russian air defense systems, a decision that resulted not only in the suspension of its role in industrial cooperation but also in the loss of access to aircraft for which it had already made payments.
“With Trump’s return to office, there is an opportunity to place relations between Türkiye and the United States on a more pragmatic and constructive footing,” Erdoğan said, using the country’s official name adopted in 2022. He added that Türkiye receiving the F-35 aircraft it has already paid for, and being reintegrated into the program, is important and necessary both for improving relations with the United States and for NATO’s defense posture.
These remarks reflect Ankara’s efforts to take advantage of a potential reset in relations with Washington amid closer alignment on defense, energy, and regional security issues. While Türkiye remains a NATO member, it continues to maintain close economic ties with Russia, a factor that has significantly influenced its defense procurement choices and strategic decisions in recent years.
At the same time, Israel has publicly outlined potential constraints on any U.S. decision to sell F-35 aircraft to Türkiye. In a recent interview with the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel stated that Israeli technologies integrated into the aircraft represent a significant limiting factor.
According to her, a substantial portion of the technological solutions used in the F-35 was developed in Israel, and these elements are not subject to transfer to Türkiye. Haskel emphasized that Israeli technologies would not be shared with Ankara even if it were ultimately to receive the aircraft, citing restrictions related to partner intellectual property. The F-35 is a multinational program led by the United States, in which participating countries are responsible for the development and production of specific components and systems. Israel, in particular, operates its own modified version of the fighter that incorporates unique, nationally developed features.
Donald Trump has previously stated that he is “very seriously considering” the possibility of an agreement on the sale of F-35 aircraft to Türkiye. However, no formal decision has been taken, and the U.S. side has not outlined any specific conditions or timelines for Ankara’s potential return to the program.
Türkiye was one of the original partners in the F-35 initiative and took part in the production of components prior to its removal. The aircraft for which the country had already paid were never delivered, prompting Ankara to explore alternative combat aircraft options while continuing diplomatic efforts to restore its participation in the program.
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Source: defence-blog
