A senior US lawmaker has described discussions on Türkiye’s potential return to the F-35 fighter jet programme as “very promising,” following meetings held during the July 7-8 NATO summit in Ankara.
Republican Rep. Mike Turner said on Sunday that the lawmakers who attended the talks agreed that they could publicly characterise what they heard as encouraging.
He declined to disclose details of what Turkish officials told members of the US Congress.
“We agreed together that we would be able to publicly say what we heard was very promising,” Turner added, noting that Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, one of the original authors of the relevant legislation, had expressed a similar view.
Turner described Türkiye’s possible reinstatement in the F-35 programme as “incredibly important.”
“They’re a member of NATO, a very strong member of NATO, having just, of course, hosted the summit, which was very successful,” he said.
“I certainly hope that they follow through and that they do so in a manner that returns them” to the programme, he added.
Turner also pointed to Türkiye’s previous role in the production of components for the fifth-generation fighter jet.
“They were also a producer of parts for the F-35. So entering back into production would be very, very important,” he said.
