Turkey Likely To OK Indigenous Fighter Program

Turkey’s government, procurement and industry officials widely expect Prime Minister to approve an ambitious program to build the country’s first indigenous fighter aircraft, amid doubts that Ankara could afford to buy it alongside the F-35 joint strike fighter.
A senior procurement official said the three draft models, one of which would become the first Turkish indigenous fighter jet, have been finalized.
Turkey has been in talks with Sweden’s Saab for pre-conceptual design work for the first Turkish national fighter jet.
Industry sources say other foreign players could get involved in later stages.
Turkey hopes that the indigenous TF-X will fly by 2023. Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), has been debating three designs.
Industry sources and experts have said that developing and building the first made-in-Turkey fighter while buying F-35s could be too costly for Turkey
Turkey intends to buy around 100 F-35s.
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