The F-35A Lightning II fighter jets produced for the Turkish Air Force have been spotted in the storage area where they have been kept in the US for years. It is stated that the 6 aircraft, which were produced before Turkey was removed from the F-35 program, are being kept in a hangar without being transferred to the US Air Force.
It is reported that the aircraft in question are being kept under protection as part of long-term storage procedures. During this process, it is stated that various systems are filled with special fluids to prevent corrosion, sensitive sections are sealed, and maintenance operations are performed regularly.
Before being removed from the F-35 program, Turkey planned to procure 30 F-35As in the first phase and a total of 100. The first 6 aircraft, which were assigned tail numbers for the Turkish Air Force, were in the US for the training of Turkish pilots. It is known that the first aircraft produced for Turkey was delivered in 2018 and that Turkish pilots began training flights with the two aircraft received.
S-400 ISSUE REMAINS A CRITICAL OBSTACLE
Following Turkey's procurement of the S-400 air defense system from Russia, the US removed Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 and halted the process of sending the aircraft to Turkey. The S-400 file remains the most critical issue regarding Ankara's return to the program and the lifting of CAATSA sanctions.
One of the options that has come to the agenda on this matter is the transfer of the S-400 systems to a third country. However, it is stated that Russia has conditions that the systems will not be transferred to Ukraine and that a country with friendly relations with Moscow should be preferred. For this reason, it does not seem possible for Turkey to transfer the systems to another country without Russia's approval.
Four main points stand out in the potential roadmap regarding Turkey's return to the F-35 program: the delivery of the 6 aircraft waiting in storage to Turkey, the creation of a schedule for a new order of 30 aircraft, the re-inclusion of Turkish companies in the production partnership, and the integration of domestic munitions, primarily the SOM-J, into the global F-35 fleet.
Turkey joined the F-35A Lightning II project in 2002, and Turkish defense industry companies began to take part in the manufacturing and supply chain starting in 2003. It is reported that Turkey has paid 1.4 billion dollars to the program to date.
News Source: 12punto
