Pete Mitchell Maverick
Active member
I completely agree, word for word. I don't hate the F-35, but unfortunately, the Turkish public seems to be fixated on it and is largely unaware of the other major developments taking place.I agree with you. F35s are "nice to have" at this point, I surely want them. But we are not as desperate as for F35 like 4-5 years ago. Certainly they are very good aircrafts, we can learn a lot, use in NATO drills, can create real deterrence but outside 5-6 F35s in hangars, they are not coming in 4-5 years. Even Trump give them us, by the time F35s coming, KAAN, KE, ANKA 3, EF, Özgürs as well as air defence systems wil be entering the inventory with meaningful numbers. Not to mention missiles, kamikaze uavs, battleships etc. F35s are no longer is a "must" as once was, we will be just fine.
Having said that, removing CAATSA is much more important than the arrival of F35s.
For me, the approval of the F110 engines and the lifting of the CAATSA sanctions are tremendous achievements. However, the media and much of the Turkish public remain stuck on the F-35 issue. By the time KAAN Block 10, the Eurofighter, the ÖZGÜR F-16, KIZILELMA, ANKA III, and several other programs are ready in the medium term, the F-35 will no longer be a must-have for Türkiye.