Turkey plans to accelerate its cooperation with Britain to build a new generation of fighter aircraft for the Turkish air force, said Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. The £ 100 million deal between Kale Group and Rolls-Royce was postponed in March after it was initially signed by the previous British Prime Minister, Theresa May in 2017, reports The Guardian.
Britain has become one of Turkey's important partners and after its exit from the European Union, it will seek a trade and defense agreement.
In establishing a joint venture in 2017, Turkish defense companies Kale and Rolls-Royce said it would supply engines for Turkey's first TF-X fighter, Turkey's domestically-made stealth fighter that replaced the F-16 fighter jet. The TF-X fighter is expected to be ready in 2023 as a symbol of Turkish strength on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Turkish republic.
The deal was hampered by disputes over intellectual property rights and offers from other alternative suppliers, including Russia. This also happened when NATO membership in Turkey was questioned again after the purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense system, a move that led to the failure of US F-35 sales to Turkey.
Turkey claims to have no choice but to buy Russia's S-400 system after the US and Europe refuse to supply their air defense systems.
Ankara has proposed a joint technical working group to examine how Turkey using US fighter jets and Russian defense systems can simultaneously be compatible with NATO membership.
The announcement of the revival of the Rolls-Royce agreement could be a means to warn the US Congress that Turkey still has alternative allies and suppliers if its access to the F-35 is stopped.
Justin Bronk, an analyst at the RUSI defense said, "Ownership of the S-400 is basically not compatible with NATO membership, but it is not at all compatible with ownership of the F-35. As the Turkish armed forces show, the first thing a (Russian) technician who manages S-400 radars in Turkey is to thoroughly test the system against Turkish air force fighter jets. "
"If Turkey is allowed to use the F-35 and also the S-400, Russia will be able to test the S-400 radar against the F-35 in a variety of different conditions.
Source : Jakarta.Greater.News.
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