U.S. Signals F‑35 and Engine Green Light for Turkey, Testing NATO Technology Trust
President Donald Trump has hinted he will soon approve the sale of F‑35 fighter jets and F‑110 engines to Turkey, even as U.S. officials review conditions and prominent voices warn against handing advanced technology to Ankara. The move would reshape Turkey’s air power and industrial base while forcing NATO to confront how much of its most sensitive hardware it is willing to share inside an alliance marked by mutual mistrust.
The United States is edging toward releasing some of its most advanced combat aviation technology to Turkey, in a decision that could reset Ankara’s role inside NATO while reopening old arguments over trust, alignment, and control. President Donald Trump has hinted that he will soon approve the sale of F‑35 stealth fighters and F‑110 jet engines to Turkey, as his administration weighs conditions and political pressure on both sides of the Atlantic.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance said that Defense Secretary Pete "and the entire team" are currently examining the proposed F‑35 sale, stressing that there are "several conditions" that need to be addressed before any transfer goes ahead. Details of those conditions were not spelled out in the available statements, but such reviews typically focus on export controls, end-use assurances, interoperability, and how a recipient’s regional policies align with U.S. and NATO interests. Meanwhile, Trump himself has publicly suggested a green light is imminent, indicating he intends to move the process toward approval.
Turkey is also seeking F‑110 jet engines to power its domestic KAAN fighter jet program, a key element of Ankara’s effort to build a homegrown fifth-generation platform to replace part of its F‑16 fleet. Access to U.S.-made engines would give Turkish industry a crucial boost, anchoring local ambitions in proven technology rather than forcing reliance on less mature alternatives. For Turkish engineers, defense companies, and air force planners, the decisions made in Washington in the coming weeks will directly shape the country’s airpower trajectory for decades.
The prospect of handing F‑35s and advanced engines to Turkey has drawn sharp criticism from some U.S. commentators. Conservative broadcaster Mark Levin, addressing Trump on the issue, urged him to "stop handing over our best technology to Erdogan," reflecting a broader current of skepticism in Washington over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s reliability as a security partner. Those concerns stem from Turkey’s past purchase of Russian S‑400 air defense systems, disputes over Syria policy, and tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean, all of which have raised questions about where Ankara stands in the contest between Russia, the West, and regional rivals.
Strategically, putting F‑35s back on the table for Turkey would signal a deliberate choice to pull Ankara closer into the Western defense architecture after several years of drift. It would restore a program relationship that was effectively frozen when Turkey was removed from the F‑35 consortium over the S‑400 deal. Reintegrating Turkey into the F‑35 ecosystem could strengthen NATO’s southeastern flank and modernize a key member’s air force, but it would also deepen Ankara’s access to a platform whose stealth, sensors, and software are at the heart of U.S. air superiority.
The engine component of the deal may matter just as much as the aircraft. By supporting the KAAN program with F‑110 engines, Washington would be enabling Turkey not just as a buyer but as a builder of advanced fighters. That would entrench Turkish defense industry capacity and could eventually create a new export competitor in the global fighter market, even as it binds Ankara to U.S. supply chains for critical components.
The core tension is simple: advanced technology is both the glue and the leverage inside alliances. Giving Turkey access to the F‑35 family and its engine technology could secure Ankara more firmly inside NATO, but it also means accepting a long-term dependency in which mistrust cannot be fully insulated from hardware.
Key signposts to watch next include the specific conditions Washington attaches to any approval, reactions from other NATO members who will have to integrate with a Turkish F‑35 fleet, and Ankara’s own messaging on how the jets and engines will be used. Any additional moves by Turkey toward or away from Russian defense systems, as well as progress on the KAAN program, will further clarify whether this technology transfer tightens or complicates the alliance’s strategic calculus.
Sources
- OSINT