A deal worth $10 billion is reportedly ready to be proposed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Donald Trump ahead of their upcoming meeting on Thursday (25/9). Specifically, according to a Bloomberg report, Erdogan plans to purchase hundreds of Boeing aircraft and Lockheed Martin fighters while simultaneously seeking the right to produce some of their spare parts in Turkey. The Turkish President wishes to offset scheduled payments for American aircraft with local production agreements worth over $10 billion, according to sources familiar with Ankara’s moves cited by the agency.
This agreement would need to receive the “green light” from American President Donald Trump. The meeting between Donald Trump and his Turkish counterpart comes at a critical juncture as Ankara attempts to improve its strained relations with Washington – a rift primarily caused by the S-400 purchase. Resolving the disagreement over the Russian missile defense system could lead to increased US-Turkey defense cooperation, Bloomberg notes.
The purchase of Russian S-400s by Ankara had caused major tension with Washington, which activated CAATSA sanctions (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) and excluded the country from the F-35 program, as the report recalls. Bloomberg requested comment from the Turkish Defense Ministry on this information, but received a negative response.
US and Turkey: Opening the path for F-35 co-production
Trump’s “green light” on this agreement could “unfreeze” the participation of 10 Turkish companies in the F-35 program, which before the rift with Washington had been agreed would manufacture $12 billion worth of spare parts, and strengthen Turkey’s defense industry, Bloomberg reports.
Meanwhile, the agency reports that other Turkish companies could provide significant software solutions while some third parties could bypass the European Union’s strict rules for producing certain chemicals essential for aircraft spare parts.
Information also indicates that the Turkish President hopes to complete the purchase of 40 F-16 Vipers and hundreds of bombs, missiles, and spare aircraft engines.
Greek-American lawmakers’ warnings on F-35 transfer to Turkey and Erdogan’s statements
Meanwhile, the leaders of Congress’s bipartisan caucus on Greek issues issued a stern warning to Donald Trump on Monday evening about the consequences of potentially transferring F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, ahead of the American President’s meeting with his Turkish counterpart on Thursday.
Republican Representatives Gus Bilirakis and Nicole Malliotakis, and Democrats Dina Titus and Chris Pappas warn the White House occupant in their joint intervention that any F-35 transfer would constitute a violation of legislation and set a bad precedent, while noting that the Turkish President’s policies should not be rewarded.
“The United States must be very careful when engaging in negotiations, particularly regarding discussions about Turkey’s potential reintegration into the Joint Strike Fighter F-35 program,” the Greek-American lawmakers warn. “Turkey was rightfully excluded from the program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system – a clear violation of US law under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). President Erdogan’s decision to pursue military cooperation with the Russian Federation, despite Turkey’s NATO obligations, directly undermines US defense technology security and poses a threat to allied defense cooperation’s strategic integrity. The continued possession of the S-400 system while simultaneously seeking access to F-35 fighter jets risks exposing sensitive US military capabilities to Russian intelligence, eroding ally trust, and endangering next-generation military platform development,” they emphasize.
They add: “Beyond this violation of US law, the Erdogan government has consistently shown contempt for international rules and democratic principles – from suppressing press freedom and political dissent to aggressive military actions in regions that have drawn international condemnation.”
“Maintaining CAATSA sanctions is not only a matter of legal compliance but also a necessary step to protect American defense assets and affirm the US commitment to accountability and rule of law in international relations. Rewarding the Erdogan government without substantial behavioral changes would create a dangerous precedent and undermine US foreign policy credibility,” they warn. “The United States must remain steadfast in defending its laws, alliances, and international order,” they conclude.
For his part, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, speaking on Fox News’s “Special Report,” addressed the F-35 issue and when asked if he expects a “green light” for purchasing these fighters, noted that the issue will be the subject of discussions with Trump on Thursday. “At the present stage, we will negotiate this issue again. We expect that the US will also do what is necessary – both for the F-35s and for the F-16 issue and their production and maintenance,” declared the President of Turkey.
