Hidden from the eyes of the general public, an impending decision could rewrite history. Perhaps for the first time, a Chinese fighter will be chosen over an American one. Such a decision, however, will not be because of the indicators of the two destroyers, but because of political, including budgetary differences.
It is about Turkey. Since the beginning of last week, Ankara has been sending conflicting signals. The American F-16 fighter, which Turkey wants, came into focus again. But Ankara now says it is “possible to withdraw the acquisition request“ made to Lockheed Martin and Washington. Mr. Çagri Erhan, directly connected politically with Turkey’s foreign policy and security policy expressed a similar possibility.
Turkey has the largest foreign fleet of US F-16 fighter jets. 250 F-16s serve in the army of the Balkan-Asian state. One part will be modernized, but Ankara needs not only modernization but a modern fleet. Having lost the battle to acquire the F-35, Turkey is currently being refused by Washington to purchase 40 F-16 fighters. The possibility of own production or purchase from another supplier remains.
Possible choices
Own production is possible but difficult to implement now and at the moment when Ankara needs modern combat aviation. After the horrific earthquake in Turkey in February, spending $20 billion on new US fighters seems like a reckless waste of money. At the same time, Ankara has been trying for years to break away from its deep dependence on American weapons, especially in the area of air-to-air missiles.
Turkey already has an answer to the first equation of this political mix. Peregrin and Merlin, Turkish air-to-air missiles already built and tested, are the answer. The final decision needs to be made. It is “buried” between the European Eurofighter Typhoon, the Russian Su-35 or Su-57, the French Dassault Rafale, and the Chinese Chengdu J-10 Vigorous Dragon.
It is not for nothing that Ankara uses these fighter jets in its political rhetoric directed at the USA. Turkey is trying to show America that it is not the only possible option. “We now have other options such as the Russian Su-35 and Su-57 fighter jets, the Chinese J-10C fighter jets that were sold to Pakistan, and the Eurofighter Typhoon,” Mr. Erhan said in a statement.
