Turkey’s fighter program awaits presidential go-ahead



Turkey’s ambitious program to build the country’s first indigenous fighter jet is awaiting a critical endorsement from a supreme body chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Procurement officials said the meeting of the Defence Industry Executive Committee, expected to convene in the next few weeks, will produce a comprehensive briefing to Erdogan on the fighter program, dubbed TF-X.

“The briefing will be the first critical step for the program this year,” an official said. “With the president’s approval, the TF-X will gain pace.”

The TF-X and other major indigenous development programs are Erdogan’s pet projects.

A presidential adviser said Erdogan intends to order officials to give momentum to TF-X. “The president is strongly in favor of independent defense industry capabilities, including the fighter program,” the adviser said. Read More