Earlier this month, Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone conversation, after which reports emerged that Trump was inclined to help advance the stalled F-16 deal and explore ways to lift sanctions, potentially reinstating Turkey in the F-35 program.
At least, this claim was made by Fox News, a Trump-friendly publication, which cited two unnamed sources. However, the outlet noted that it was unable to obtain comments from the U.S. State Department or the National Security Council.
Read more: France Offers Rafale and SAMP/T Instead of F-35 and Patriot — But Can It Compete on Production Speed?
Regarding the F-16 deal, it is worth recalling that the Biden administration had already approved the sale of 40 aircraft in the Block 70 configuration and the modernization of 79 additional units in January 2023. The deal was expected to be a significant contract worth tens of billions of dollars.
However, in late 2023, Turkey’s defense minister announced plans to reduce costs by focusing solely on purchasing new aircraft while opting to modernize existing ones at domestic facilities. As a result, negotiations between Turkey's defense ministry and Lockheed Martin are ongoing.
At the same time, since 2022, Ankara has been considering the purchase of Eurofighter Typhoon jets and, earlier this month, officially submitted a request for 40 aircraft. Given this context, Trump may attempt to resolve the stalled F-16 negotiations.
As for the F-35, Turkey was expelled from the program in 2019 after acquiring and deploying the russian S-400 SAM system. Now, according to reports, Trump's team is searching for ways to bypass the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
Additionally, the U.S. is once again raising concerns about the S-400 system, suggesting that Turkey’s return to the F-35 program could be possible if the russian system is rendered inoperable. One potential solution under discussion is relocating the S-400 to a base controlled by the United States.
Read more: Not Just F-35, Canada's $77-Billion River-Class Destroyers Also Hinge on the U.S.
