{"id":52168,"date":"2018-02-02T18:08:45","date_gmt":"2018-02-02T18:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/02\/turkeys-fighter-program-awaits-presidential-go-ahead\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:52:38","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:52:38","slug":"turkeys-fighter-program-awaits-presidential-go-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/digital-show-dailies\/singapore-airshow\/2018\/02\/02\/turkeys-fighter-program-awaits-presidential-go-ahead\/","title":{"rendered":"Turkey\u2019s fighter program awaits presidential go-ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

ANKARA, Turkey \u2014 Turkey\u2019s ambitious program to build the country\u2019s first indigenous fighter jet is awaiting a critical endorsement from a supreme body chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Procurement officials said the meeting of the Defence Industry Executive Committee, expected to convene in the next few weeks, will produce a comprehensive briefing to Erdogan on the fighter program, dubbed TF-X.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe briefing will be the first critical step for the program this year,\u201d an official said. \u201cWith the president\u2019s approval, the TF-X will gain pace.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click here for more coverage from the Singapore Airshow.<\/a><\/b>
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The TF-X and other major indigenous development programs are Erdogan\u2019s pet projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A presidential adviser said Erdogan intends to order officials to give momentum to TF-X. \u201cThe president is strongly in favor of independent defense industry capabilities, including the fighter program,\u201d the adviser said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The planned meeting of the Defence Industry Executive Committee will be the first gathering under the chairmanship of the president. The committee, along with Turkey\u2019s top defense companies, was tied to Erdogan under a state of emergency decree in December. Before the decree, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim acted as chairman of the committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The meeting will come at a time when Erdogan is increasingly suspicious of Turkey\u2019s defense industry ties with NATO allies, most notably the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erdogan has strongly praised Turkish-made systems used in Turkey\u2019s military incursion into neighboring Syria. These systems include locally made drones (including armed models), rockets and the T129 ATAK, a Turkish-made attack helicopter under license from the Italian-British firm AgustaWestland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S.-Turkey relations have been strained over Turkey\u2019s actions in Syria, and Turkey\u2019s growing military and political ties with Russia are a cause of concern among its Western and NATO allies<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\t