Trump visit may help Turkey secure jet engines while F-35 dispute remains unresolved

Turkey is expected to push for progress on its defence cooperation with the United States as President Donald Trump visits Ankara.

Turkey is expected to push for progress on its defence cooperation with the United States as President Donald Trump visits Ankara for the NATO summit on July 7 and 8. The meeting, hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, will bring together leaders of all 32 NATO member countries. While analysts believe the visit could clear the way for Turkey to receive more F110 fighter jet engines for its KAAN combat aircraft project, they do not expect an immediate solution to the long running dispute over the F 35 fighter jet programme.

Last month, Trump hinted at positive developments when he said he wanted to make Erdogan “very happy” in response to questions about Turkey’s request for F110 engines and its hopes of rejoining the F 35 programme. Defence experts believe this statement mainly refers to the approval of additional engines needed for Turkey’s indigenous KAAN fighter jet.

The KAAN project is one of Turkey’s most ambitious defence programmes. Developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries, the aircraft is designed to replace the country’s ageing fleet of F 16 fighter jets and strengthen its position among nations capable of producing fifth generation combat aircraft. At present, KAAN prototypes are powered by American made F110 engines because Turkey’s own engine is still under development.

According to analysts, Turkey has already tested a small number of prototype aircraft but needs more engines to continue expanding the programme. Defence Minister Yasar Guler previously confirmed that Turkey had received an initial batch of ten F110 engines and was seeking approval to purchase many more. However, political disagreements between Washington and Ankara have delayed the process.

The main obstacle remains Turkey’s decision to buy the Russian S 400 missile defence system in 2017. In response, the United States removed Turkey from the F 35 programme in 2019 and imposed sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act the following year. These measures affected several Turkish defence projects and created tensions between the two NATO allies.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has repeatedly argued that both the engine issue and the F 35 dispute should be resolved. He has said that approval for the KAAN engines is still awaiting action in the US Congress. His comments attracted attention because Turkey has long presented KAAN as a domestically produced aircraft despite its current dependence on American engines.

Many defence analysts believe the delay has pushed Turkey to invest even more heavily in its own military industry. They argue that securing the engines would allow the KAAN programme to move forward while reducing the country’s future reliance on foreign suppliers. Some also believe that instead of focusing on returning to the F 35 programme, Turkey should continue strengthening its own fighter jet project.

The KAAN aircraft has already attracted international interest. Indonesia recently signed a multi billion dollar agreement to purchase 48 aircraft, making it the first confirmed export customer. Experts believe the NATO summit could encourage more countries to explore the programme, although Turkey still faces technical and political challenges before the aircraft becomes a major competitor in the global defence market.

Despite expectations of progress on the engine deal, analysts remain cautious about the F 35 issue. They point out that lifting US sanctions would require support from Congress and that Turkey’s possession of the Russian S 400 system continues to complicate relations. While Trump may seek to improve ties with Ankara, convincing lawmakers to reverse existing restrictions is expected to remain a difficult political challenge.