Journalist İsmail Saymaz reacts to F-35 news: 'We cannot receive the jets we paid for, are we to call this a victory?'

Following the NATO Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Ankara, statements by US President Donald Trump regarding the possibility of Turkey rejoining the F-35 fighter jet program remain a key topic on the agenda. After Trump's messages were characterized as a "diplomatic success" by pro-government media outlets and some AK Party representatives, journalist İsmail Saymaz also made remarks on the subject.

"WE WERE A FOUNDING PARTNER, NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RETURNING AS A CUSTOMER"

İsmail Saymaz recalled Turkey's past position in the F-35 program and voiced his criticisms regarding the current situation.

Saymaz stated that Turkey was one of the founding partners of the F-35 program and that certain parts of the aircraft were manufactured in Turkey, adding the following:

"We were a founding partner of the F-35. We were manufacturing some of its parts. Today, we are talking about returning to the F-35 as a customer. They want us to celebrate this as a victory. Is this a victory? We have not been able to receive the jets we paid for in 7 years."

THE F-35 PROGRAM PROCESS RETURNS TO THE AGENDA

With Saymaz's statements, the process regarding Turkey's involvement in the F-35 program has become a subject of debate once again.

Turkey was removed from the F-35 program in 2019 following its purchase of the S-400 air defense system from Russia. Within the scope of the program, Turkey was not only one of the countries that would purchase the fighter jets but also one of the nine founding partners contributing to the project's production.

Turkish defense industry companies were involved in the production of fuselage parts, landing gear, and various critical components of the F-35 fighter jets.

"LOSS OF RIGHTS IS BEING PRESENTED AS A SUCCESS"

İsmail Saymaz also criticized the evaluation of Trump's statements regarding the F-35 program as a diplomatic success by pro-government media outlets and some AK Party representatives.

Saymaz expressed his opposition to this situation being framed as a success, noting that Turkey has both failed to receive the jets it paid for and has been removed from its position as a manufacturing partner to become merely a potential buyer.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Turkey had paid approximately 1.4 billion dollars for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program, and the jets that were supposed to be delivered in the first phase were placed in hangars at bases in the US. Following its removal from the program, Turkish defense industry firms were pushed out of the production chain, while Turkey had for some time focused on the procurement of F-16 Block 70s and the national combat aircraft KAAN project for the modernization of its air force. Although the latest contacts at the NATO Summit signal that the F-35 crisis could be back on the table, the opposition and experts on the subject agree that the billions of dollars in losses and the loss of time suffered by Turkey should not be ignored.

News Source: 12punto