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Turkey scales back F-16 deal while US shifts position on F-35s, minister claims

28th November 2024 - 10:55 GMT | by Lucy Powell in London

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The deal for the FMS package to Turkey for F-16 Viper Block 70 aircraft was originally reported as costing $23 billion. (Photo: Lockheed Martin)

Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler gave updates on the country’s F-16 and Eurofighter acquisitions in Parliament, while signalling the US could reinstate Turkey into its F-35 programme.

Turkey’s Minister of National Defence has claimed that the US has started to shift its position on Turkey’s request to buy F-35 jets after witnessing its progresses on the domestic KAAN programme.

According to local Turkish media, Yaşar Güler addressed the Turkish Parliament’s Planning and Budget Commission on the jets on 26 November in which he gave development updates on its F-16 and Eurofighter acquisitions, as well as ongoing F-35 discussions.

On the F-35As, Güler said: “When the Americans saw that we could build and fly the KAAN, they changed their minds a bit about the F-35.”

The defence minister also

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