Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey has reaffirmed plans to purchase at least 100 Joint
Strike Fighters from the United States.

Officials said the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has
assured Washington and prime contractor Lockheed Martin that Ankara would
not abandon or reduce procurement of the F-35. They said the government
plans to first procure two JSF fifth-generation aircraft before proceeding
with a much larger order that could reach $16 billion.

“In the first stage, orders will be given for two F-35 planes,” Turkish
Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz said. “Turkey plans in total to buy 100 F-35 warplanes. Currently, the total amount which will be paid under the project is envisaged to be around $16 billion.”

Yilmaz made the assertion in a written reply to parliament. The
opposition has questioned Ankara’s decision to procure only two F-35s by 2015 and raised the prospect that Turkey might be seeking other options to the troubled $1 trillion program.

“Abandoning the purchase of the aircraft is not a current
consideration,” Yilmaz said.

Officials said the government has set requirements for the procurement of JSF. Turkey, a partner in the program and which invested $315 million, has demanded the transfer of software codes to allow for installation of avionics and electronic warfare as well as the repair of subsystems.

Israel has been the only country outside of the United States to order
the F-35. Officials said the Defense Ministry has been concerned over delays
in JSF as well as the refusal to set a price for the aircraft, now estimated
to cost $160 million.

  100 Joint Strike Fighters, Ismet Yilmaz, Lockheed Martin, Recep Erdogan, troubled $1 trillion program, Turkey confirms commitment to buy 100 U.S. F-35s