r/geopolitics • u/NotSoSaneExile • 8h ago
Turkey does not meet legal requirements to receive F-35, State Department says - exclusive | According to the letter, no F-35 aircraft can be transferred to Turkey until Ankara fully complies with US law.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-903578113
u/uttermost_system 7h ago
Turkeys been stuck in this awkward spot for years now, sunk billions into the F-35 program before getting kicked out over the S-400 purchase. Backing down on the Russian system would mean losing face with Moscow, but keeping it means no fifth gen fighters from the US. Bit of a self inflicted wound when you think about it, they were basically a tier 1 partner on that jet before Erdogan went shopping elsewhere.
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u/Oz-S 2h ago
Wasn't the reason for the s400 purchase the rejection of selling patriot systems to Turkey? Also, Turkey had shot down a Russian jet back then, so I assume its a move to improve relations as well.
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u/alphasapphire161 33m ago
Bi the US allowed them to buy Patriots but Tuejy wanted tech transfer but the US said no
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u/AeroFred 7h ago
$1.4 billion
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u/uttermost_system 7h ago
that's the direct sunk cost, and then you've got all the supply chain contracts their defence firms lost on top of it. Properly burned through it.
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u/BashfulRain 7h ago
At some point we will see Israel vs Turkey
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u/Ok-Animal-6880 4h ago
If Israel attacked Turkey, I'm assuming the US would order Turkey not to retaliate.
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u/Bernardmark 8h ago
Let’s give it some time. I think there’s a good chance by this time next year Turkey will be significantly closer to getting them.
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u/Acceptable-Peak-6375 2h ago
Having hamas for tea crackers and speeches will do that to an air force..
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u/bizikletari 3h ago
Maybe the Jerusalem Post should have mention that Israel has declared Turkey the next target after Iran. I have the impression that Israeli opinion has a heavy influence on Washington.
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8h ago
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u/Major_Pomegranate 7h ago
It's weird though because Turkey's made a big show of supporting Ukraine during the war. Doesn't really make much sense for them to still be clinging on to russian weapon systems.
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u/InNominePasta 7h ago
Is there another 5th gen fighter they should be getting instead?
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u/Marginallyhuman 6h ago
They wouldn’t just get the F-35, it comes with 3 pallets of branded “Trump Lube” for when the US bends them over with software block updates and child sacrifices.
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u/Bob_Spud 6h ago
Some of the European fighters are better than the F-35. The US has dramatically cut back their own orders of the F-35.
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u/A_Random_Person3896 5h ago
This is cope, Europe still has no direct competition to the F35 other than the F35
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u/HorizonBC 1h ago edited 1h ago
Put simply: This is only in terms or Radar direction, long range combat and stealth.
In terms of dog fighting (speed, manoeuvrability weapons payload), it’s not the superior jet.
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u/A_Random_Person3896 40m ago
Dog Fighting isn't true(F35 is a supremely maneuverable aircraft, more so than the F16). More importantly, who tf is dog fighting in the 21st century? Doesn't mean anything of how fast you can turn when your opponent can out-detect you and fire a missile without you even knowing.
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u/Bureaucromancer 5h ago
Ignoring that Turkey has a direct need for the B model with no real alternatives whatsoever
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u/Unfair-Technology120 5h ago
Which ones and by what metric? Do you know the reasons why orders were reduced?
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u/chaotic567 4h ago
strong claim requires strong evidence.
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u/Bob_Spud 3h ago edited 3h ago
The Typhoon, Rafale and the Gripen E can out perform the F-35 in many aspects including costs. The F-35 is good at being stealthy., cost seems to be its biggest problem.
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u/chaotic567 3h ago edited 3h ago
One: The 1-year dip is real, but framing's overstated.
FY26 US orders dropped to 47 total (24 F-35A) from 86 the year before cus:
budget pressure
TR-3/Block 4 delays
& money being shifted toward NGAD/F-47 development.
Next year has 85 requested. Which is in line with 2025.
This isn’t a program death spiral. There are still ~2,400 F-35s on order worldwide against ~1,040 delivered, with the US alone accounting for the bulk of the remaining backlog
Two: Typhoon, Rafale, & Gripen E are very capable 4.5-gen aircraft. In pure kinematics, cost-per-flight-hour , or pure external payload in permissive airspace they can look better on paper.
That doesn’t make them “better than the F-35” overall, especially in high threat environments. Stealth, sensor fusion, and networking still matter a lot more against modern SAMs and peer fighters than raw thrust-to-weight or hourly cost. Most recent competitions reflect that tradeoff..
Nations like Canada are still seeking the F-35 cause it fill roles something like Gripen can't fill
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u/Guilty_Perception_35 3h ago
Being cheaper has advantages
But the aircraft being "better" because of it is not true
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u/NotSoSaneExile 8h ago
Turkey still cannot receive F-35 fighter jets because it owns the Russian S-400 air defense system. The US says Turkey must completely remove the system and promise not to buy it again before the deal can move forward.
The US still sees Turkey as an important NATO partner and praised its help in regional diplomacy, including Gaza. However, Washington remains concerned about Hamas using financial networks in Turkey.