This week, the Turkish Air Force celebrated the news that the German government has given Airbus the green light to finalize the sale of 40 new Eurofighter jets to strengthen its combat capabilities, with approval from the other program partners already in place. The news was revealed by Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler during an interview with a local media outlet.
It is worth noting that Berlin’s opposition to this operation had been longstanding, as concerns persisted over Turkey’s involvement in recent conflicts in Syria and Libya, as well as its actions against Kurdish populations. Additionally, there were fears regarding regional stability, with Greece being a central focus. Given Germany’s highly cautious stance, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain pushed the proposal forward in favor of Turkey.
This was highlighted by Minister Güler himself during the interview, stating: “Germany has resisted for a long time, but thanks to the positive support of our NATO allies (editor’s note: UK, Italy, and Spain), they have responded favorably.”
Regarding concerns about an escalation in the already tense relations with Greece, Turkey’s defense minister said, “Our president has developed a very positive relationship with the Greek prime minister. Important steps have been taken to make the Aegean Sea a sea of friendship and not hostility. It is our duty to support this effort. Our foreign minister is making significant strides in this regard, holding serious and productive talks with the Greek foreign minister, which we believe will yield positive results.”
On another note, it is essential to mention that Ankara is in the process of modernizing its fleet of F-16 jets to the Viper standard. This involves the purchase of 79 new upgrade kits (for Block 50 jets) and a new batch of 40 fighters of that variant. This process was marked by numerous setbacks, finally resolved as part of Turkey’s negotiations with the U.S. regarding the approval of Sweden and Finland as new NATO members.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that Turkey and the U.S. recently resumed negotiations on Turkey’s possible reinstatement into the F-35 program in exchange for relinquishing control of its Russian-made S-400 batteries, a purchase that had led to Turkey’s removal from the program. With Donald Trump’s recent presidential victory—who in 2018 supported the decision to remove Turkey as a program partner—things may have taken a different direction, favoring the European fourth-generation alternative and the local development of TAI KAAN aircraft.
Images used for illustrative purposes.
You may also like: Turkey seeks U.S. approval for the provision of F404 engines to equip its new light fighter, the TAI Hürjet
