After President Donald Trump said he would make Turkey’s leader “very happy,” analysts from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies warn in this op-ed that including Ankara in the F-35 program is still the wrong move.
The op-ed reflects ongoing debate and strategic considerations regarding Turkey's geopolitical alignment and its access to critical defense technology amid evolving global rivalries.
This highlights the continuing tension in NATO alliances and the strategic implications of defense technology transfer in a multipolar world, influencing regional power balances and arms control.
The article reinforces the argument against Turkey's inclusion in the F-35 program, underscoring persistent concerns that could lead to further exclusion from Western defense initiatives.
- · US defense industry
- · F-35 partner nations
- · Regional rivals of Turkey
- · Turkish Air Force
- · Turkish defense industry
- · NATO cohesion
Turkey's exclusion from the F-35 program persists, hindering its air force modernization.
Ankara may further pivot towards non-Western defense suppliers, potentially acquiring alternative advanced fighter jets from Russia or China.
This could lead to a deeper fracturing of NATO's interoperability and strategic alignment in critical regions like the Middle East.
This signal links to a primary source. Continuum Brief monitors and indexes it as part of the live intelligence stream — we do not republish source content.
Read at Breaking Defense — Air