Turkey wants F-35 in its sky

Turkey intends to purchase two F-35 fighters, the Ministry of Defense Industry said on May 7, Turkish TRT Haber channel reported.

The first two fighters will be purchased in 2018. Up to 100 F-35 fighters are expected to be purchased.

F-35 design was chosen in 2001 as a result of the Joint Strike Fighter program contest between Boeing (Model X-32) and Lockheed Martin (Model X-35). The program envisaged the creation of a unified model of fighter for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps for vertical and short takeoff and landing to replace F-16, A-10, F/A-18, and AV-8B.

The first flight of F-35 fighters was made on December 15, 2006. The fighter has been used for educational purposes since 2012.

The fighter is produced in three main variants: F-35A worth $ 153.1 million, F-35B - $196.5 million, F-35C - $199.4 million.

The Turkish Ministry of Defense Industry has not released information about the kind of fighter to be purchased.


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