The Turkish industry continued to produce components for the American fifth generation F-35 fighters even after, how the US excluded Ankara from the program. Turkey-produced components are critical for new aircraft.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar stated this at a conference, organized in Washington by the non-profit Turkish Heritage Organization. Akar's speech was broadcast on Twitter by the Turkish Defense Ministry.
The program of cooperation between Washington and Ankara for the production of the latest fighters was curtailed after the purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense systems by the Turks. As Hulusi Akar stated, despite the closure of the program and the coronavirus pandemic, Ankara continues to produce F-35 components. The Minister considers, that Turkey's exclusion from the program was unfair.
He also announced his readiness to address Washington's concerns about, that Ankara is simultaneously acquiring American F-35 fighters and Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems. Hulusi Akar noticed, that the safety of new aircraft is just as important to Turkey, as for the USA, because Ankara is not only a client of the fighter program, but also her partner.
