Turkey's F-35 Comeback Bid Gets Trump Backing. Why Israel Is Against The Fighter Jet Deal
Turkey's F-35 Comeback Bid Gets Trump Backing. Why Israel Is Against The Fighter Jet Deal Published By, Last Updated: July 08, 2026, 02:04 IST The
Turkey's F-35 Comeback Bid Gets Trump Backing. Why Israel Is Against The Fighter Jet Deal Published By, Last Updated: July 08, 2026, 02:04 IST The US had removed Turkey from the F-35 programme in 2019 after Ankara bought Russia’s S-400 air defence system. While Turkey is looking to rebuild defence ties with Washington, Israel has strongly opposed any possible F-35 sale to Ankara. (AFP photos) Turkey’s long-pending bid to return to the US-made F-35 fighter jet programme has gained fresh attention after US President Donald Trump said Washington would consider selling the advanced aircraft to Ankara. Trump made the remarks on Tuesday while sitting alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit to Ankara for a NATO summit. The US had removed Turkey from the F-35 programme in 2019 after Ankara bought Russia’s S-400 air defence system. “That’s a decision we’re going to make… it’s a great plane, the best plane by far and it’s certainly something we will consider," Trump said when asked about selling F-35 jets to Turkey.
Why Turkey Wants F-35 Jets Back? Turkey has been pushing for years to rejoin the F-35 programme and remove US sanctions that have affected its defence projects. Trump also indicated that Washington could lift sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), saying, “We don’t want to sanction friends." Erdogan welcomed Trump’s remarks and said he believed the US President would help resolve the dispute. “Mr. Trump has also personally given us his word on this matter," Erdogan said, adding that he expected a favourable decision on the F-35 issue. Turkey is hoping to secure the delivery of five F-35 fighter jets for which it has already made payments. Why Israel Opposes The Deal? While Turkey is looking to rebuild defence ties with Washington, Israel has strongly opposed any possible F-35 sale to Ankara. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that giving Turkey access to the advanced fighter jets could change the military balance in the Middle East.
“I don’t think they should be given F-35s or the engines for their fighter jets, because that’ll upset the power balance in the Middle East," Netanyahu said in an interview with Fox News. He argued that Israel’s air superiority is a key factor in maintaining regional balance and said providing Turkey with such advanced aircraft could weaken that advantage. In another interview with CNN, Netanyahu said the sale could “destroy" the power balance in the region, claiming that Turkey had “aggressive aspirations". “When you give them that power, you’re going to see aggression in its wake," he added. The F-35 is one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets, with stealth technology that makes it difficult to detect by enemy radar. Israel already operates the aircraft and considers maintaining its military edge a major security priority. (With inputs from agencies) News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad.
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