It's not made.
There is a global headache between NATO and Turkey...
What do you want Turket make with just 6 jets ? if not to copy and paste it.... something in the US top brass minds.
"Its not made"
What do you mean its not made? Its sitting in a Hanger mothballed. Turkey only needs to take delivery of it. The only thing that would be needed to operationalize them is a software update.
There is a global headache between NATO and Turkey...
Yes, and all of it is being fixed right now, with the F-35 being the last element that needs fixing.
There is no issue in NATO, only an issue with the EU b/c of Greece's and Cyprus veto and sabotage. Even France is cooperating. There were several deals signed with Safran on Baykar collaboration. France also wants to build SAMP-T Interceptors in Turkey b/c of Turkey industrial base is better for cheaper mass production and far more complete supply chains that don't require imports from China for things that Europe outsourced b/c it couldn't sustain the industry in EU.
What do you want Turket make with just 6 jets ?
Lot of things. For one thing once the 6 jets are transferred, in terms of the psychological effect of the sanctions being over, would be finished. It would also be very difficult to deny future F-35 sales and participation b/c the rabbit would be out of the bag per se. All this stuff about "It will be compromised b/c of Russia" would not work, b/c F-35s would be in Turkish pocession. And after its already been transferred, there is no debate over denying Turkey strategic weapons, b/c it would have already happened.
The beauty of these 6 F-35s is that they don't need congressional approval, b/c whats preventing them is not a sale. The sale is already done, the Govt of the United States recognizes them as Turkish F-35s, Turkey even pays the maintenance fees for the hanger they are currently being kept in. The only thing preventing the transfer is the CAATSA sanctions implemented, and the law says, that if the S-400s are gone, then the President is allowed to transfer.
So basically whats stopping the F-35s from being transferred is how quickly cn Turkey get rid of the S-400s from Turkey, and how quickly is dependent on how fast this sale and transfer with the UAE will take, and how fast that happens is dependent on the agreement being done with the UAE, and how fast Russia gives approval.
We will see how fast all this happens by the end of the year. Ideally I would hope Turkey does this before next year when there is a new congress, so no new sabotage laws/legislation is passed, and Trump is able to transfer quickly.
once they are in Turkey, then the real negotiations will begin on the reentry of Turkey back into the F-35s production and maintenance, as well as more sales of more jets.
