News
Defense Industry · Jet Engines · NATO · US-Turkey Relations
President Donald Trump's administration is proceeding with the sale of General Electric jet engines, valued at over $700 million, to Turkey for its indigenous KAAN combat jet program, despite objections from some U.S. Congress members, ahead of an upcoming NATO summit.
This move, confirmed by four sources familiar with the matter, aims to bolster Ankara's defense self-sufficiency efforts, which began in 2016. While the sale is a positive gesture, analysts like Gonul Tol of the Middle East Institute state it falls short of Turkey's primary goal of rejoining the F-35 stealth fighter jet program, from which it was removed after acquiring Russian S-400 air defense systems in 2019.
Representative Gregory Meeks, a top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, raised objections, citing the administration's failure to brief him adequately on the sale's implications and Turkey's S-400 possession. Despite congressional sentiment, the administration is expected to finalize the sale in the coming days, followed by a formal notification to Congress, as such objections are not binding.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's team is reviewing Turkey's compliance with U.S. laws for potential F-35 reintegration.
