Türkiye pursuing F-35 jets refund, Eurofighter Typhoons' procurement with allies

By Utku Simsek

ANKARA (AA) – Türkiye continues its efforts to get the F-35 fighter jet funds reimbursed while working with allies to procure Eurofighter Typhoons, a Turkish defense official said on Thursday, emphasizing the ongoing focus on the 5th generation fighter aircraft KAAN.

At a press briefing, Defense Ministry’s Public Relations Advisor Admiral Zeki Akturk stated that negotiations on F-35 fighter jets were ongoing with the US but there was no change in the positions of both countries. However, Akturk noted that they hoped to recover the money they had paid for the jets.

“At this stage, we need to focus on KAAN,” he said.

Regarding the status of the requested Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets from the UK, he stated that the efforts to procure Eurofighters are ongoing and that discussions between the UK and German officials on this matter are continuing.

“Our expectation is for our allies to take decisions in line with the spirit of the alliance and common security perspective. We believe that positive results will be achieved,” he added.

- Counterterrorism, border security

The official said the upcoming visit of Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and the President of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Ibrahim Kalin to Iraq will involve discussions on counterterrorism efforts, border security, and diverse topics, including energy.

“As you know, a Security Summit was held in Ankara with Iraqi officials last December. The second summit will take place in Iraq today. These discussions will prioritize developing a joint understanding of counterterrorism, with security and military cooperation being key topics," he said.

“The meeting held by Turkish commanders across the border took place within the Claw-Lock Operation zone boundaries. During the meeting with Iraqi officials, measures to enhance the security of the Iraq-Türkiye border and improve the safety of Iraqi citizens were discussed. Such cooperation and coordination meetings will continue," he added.

Akturk stated that operations targeting all terrorist organizations, primarily PKK/KCK/PYD-YPG, Daesh, and FETO, resulted in the neutralization of 63 terrorists in the past week, including in northern Iraq and Syria.

He mentioned that since Jan. 1, 2024, a total of 582 terrorists have been neutralized, with 229 in northern Iraq and 353 in northern Syria.

- Illegal border crossing

Akturk disclosed that in the past week, 138 people, including four members of terrorist organizations, were apprehended while attempting to illegally cross the borders, and 2,861 others were prevented from crossing.

"Thus, the number of individuals apprehended while attempting to illegally cross our borders since Jan. 1 has risen to 1,747. The number of individuals prevented from crossing the border has reached 34,447," he said.

Top Turkish officials are attending a security summit with Iraqi officials in Baghdad on Thursday.

The meeting, attended by Hakan Fidan, Yasar Guler, and Ibrahim Kalin, will focus on security and military cooperation, in addition to eradicating the presence of the PKK terrorist group in Iraq, a top goal set by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The meeting will see both sides discussing a common understanding of the fight against terrorism.