Deputy Minister of National Defense Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu announced that intensive negotiations are being held with the USA for the first 6 F-35A fighter jets that Turkey could not receive.
Diplomatic contacts between Türkiye and the USA regarding the F-35 fighter jet program and CAATSA sanctions continue. Deputy Minister of National Defense Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu made evaluations about the defense relations between the two countries and the F-35 process in his interview with CNN TÜRK US Representative Yunus Paksoy within the scope of AUSA 2026 held in the USA.
Stating that the meetings with the Pentagon and US defense industry officials were positive, Kavaklıoğlu said that the current relations are at a better level than expected. He stated that there are problems between Türkiye and the USA from the past, but the parties are working to solve them.
Touching on the latest situation regarding the F-35 program, Kavaklıoğlu announced that intensive contacts are continuing for the first 6 aircraft for which Turkey has paid but has not received delivery. Stating that Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler sent a letter on the issue and negotiations were held between the parties, Kavaklıoğlu stated that he believed that results would be obtained from the process.
CAATSA Sanctions are One of the Important Topics of the F-35 Process
Türkiye was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing the S-400 air defense system from Russia. While the USA argued that Turkey's S-400 procurement poses a risk for the security of the F-35 program, Ankara stated that security concerns regarding the use of the two systems together could be addressed through technical means.
The US's implementation of CAATSA sanctions against Turkey in 2020 became one of the main elements of the disputes in the field of defense industry. The failure to deliver F-35 aircraft to Turkey was also among the results of this process.
Kavaklıoğlu said that sanctions and other embargo issues were discussed in the talks and that there are steps that both parties need to take for a solution. Stating that he hopes the process will be concluded in a short time, the Deputy Minister noted that the negotiations are continuing mutually.
However, the positive progress of the contacts does not mean that the sanctions have been lifted or that a definitive timetable has been determined for the delivery of F-35s to Turkey.
6 Planes Produced for Türkiye Are Held in the USA
Turkey joined the F-35 program in 2002 and initially planned to procure a total of 100 F-35A fighter jets. The first aircraft produced on behalf of Türkiye for the training of Turkish pilots was introduced with a delivery ceremony in the USA in 2018; Turkish pilots carried out training flights with two aircraft.
However, with Turkey's removal from the program, the delivery process of 6 F-35As produced for Türkiye was stopped. While the planes were kept in the USA, Turkey's return to the program and the fate of these planes continued to be on the agenda of the negotiations between the two countries.
Turkey's re-entry into the F-35 program concerns not only the delivery of the aircraft but also a broader political and security framework, such as the status of CAATSA sanctions and how the S-400 issue will be resolved.
Joint Production and Investment are on the Agenda in the Defense Industry
Kavaklıoğlu also emphasized that Türkiye-US defense relations are not just about F-35 and sanctions. He said that joint production, joint investment and cooperation with NATO allies in different fields were discussed during the meetings.
Stating that the development made by the Turkish defense industry in recent years was also appreciated by the US interlocutors, Kavaklıoğlu drew attention to the importance of establishing direct contact between the two parties and continuing the negotiations.
One of Turkey's primary goals regarding F-35s is to resolve the situation of the 6 aircraft that were previously produced and could not be received. However, it is stated that the current negotiations do not reveal a definitive decision regarding Turkey's re-participation in the program or ordering new aircraft.
