Report: U.S. May Move Ahead With F-35-Related Deal for Turkey

The Trump administration is preparing to advance a major arms deal with Turkey, under which dozens of American-made engines would be sold for Turkey’s KAAN fighter jet, in a deal estimated at more than $700 million. That was reported overnight Wednesday into Thursday by Reuters, citing four sources familiar with the details of the move.

According to the report, the deal is expected to move forward despite objections raised in the U.S. Congress, and it could receive State Department approval as soon as the coming days. A formal notification would then be sent to Congress in keeping with the usual process. The State Department declined to comment on the report.

The engines included in the deal are made by General Electric and are intended for the KAAN fighter jet, the flagship project of Turkey’s defense industry. It is the first fighter aircraft to be developed and manufactured in Turkey, as part of a program launched in 2016 with the goal of reducing dependence on foreign weapons systems and increasing Ankara’s defense independence.

Development of the aircraft gained major momentum after Turkey was removed in 2019 from the United States’ F-35 fighter jet program. The American decision came after Ankara purchased Russian S-400 air defense systems, a step that raised concerns in Washington about the possible leakage of sensitive information.

According to one of the sources quoted by Reuters, the value of the deal is expected to exceed $700 million. Its importance also stems from the fact that developing advanced jet engines for fighter aircraft is considered one of the most complex challenges in military aviation. As a result, the continued supply of American engines is viewed as essential for Turkey until it succeeds in developing an independent alternative.

At the same time as the engine deal, talks are continuing between Washington and Ankara regarding the possibility of returning Turkey to the F-35 program. That issue is currently under review by the American administration. U.S. Vice President JD Vance addressed the matter: "Pete (the U.S. Secretary of Defense) and the whole team are looking at the issue right now, because there are several conditions we need to make sure have in fact been met in order to comply with American law. The president asked us to carry out this review."

Vance added: "We’re going through every step of the review and making sure all the requirements have been fulfilled. This is mainly an issue that falls under Congress’s authority, and we’re making sure Turkey has met the requirements of American law so it can receive the F-35 aircraft. We’ll make an announcement when we finish the process."