F-35s Produced for Türkiye Displayed

New images have emerged showing that F-35A warplanes, produced for Türkiye but not delivered, are being kept in hangars in the USA.

Although years have passed since Turkey was removed from the F-35 program, it is known that the planes produced for the country are kept in the USA. In the new images published on October 8, 2026, F-35As produced for Türkiye are seen in the hangars.

The images emerged at a time when the possibility of Turkey's return to the F-35 program was being discussed between Washington and Ankara. However, there is no definitive information publicly available about when the images were taken and at which facility all the planes are located.

Türkiye was planning to purchase 100 F-35As before it was removed from the F-35 program. After being removed from the program, aircraft produced for Türkiye or in the production process remained in the USA.

The regulation adopted by the US Congress at the end of 2019 prevents the transfer of F-35 aircraft to Turkey if Turkey continues to have the S-400 system. In the report of the US Congressional Research Service dated August 2026, it is stated that six F-35s belonging to Turkey remain in storage in the USA and approximately 1.4 billion dollars have been paid for these aircraft.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, in his previous statements, stated that Ankara was focusing especially on these six aircraft in the current negotiations. Fidan stated that the planes were still in hangars and that there was a legal obstacle caused by the US Congress regarding delivery.

The possibility of Turkey's return to the F-35 program was brought up again in 2026. While US President Donald Trump announced that sanctions against Turkey would be lifted in July and the F-35 sale would be evaluated, it was stated that there were legal requirements for the process in Washington.

However, currently there is no final agreement or delivery schedule regarding the delivery of the aircraft to Turkey. The relevant legislation of the US Congress and the S-400 issue continue to be among the main issues facing the F-35 transfer. In the letter sent by the US State Department to Congress in July 2026, it was stated that Turkey had not yet met the legal conditions for returning to the F-35 program.

Although different scenarios are on the agenda regarding the future of the F-35s produced for Türkiye, it is not possible to say that the aircraft have been delivered to the Turkish Air Force as of the current situation.

While the new images show once again that the planes that have been waiting in the USA for years are still an important part of the file, the next process will depend on the negotiations between Washington and Ankara as well as US legislation.