Turkey plans to speed up fighter jet project with Britain
Revival of Rolls-Royce deal comes amid concern over Ankara’s foreign relations
Revival of Rolls-Royce deal comes amid concern over Ankara’s foreign relations
Turkey plans 2speed up its collaboration with 🇬🇧 4 the building of a new generation of fighter jet engines for the Turkish air force The £100m deal between Kale Group and Rolls-Royce was in effect put on hold in March after it was initially signed by the previous🇬🇧prime minister
The news is likely to be controversial as Turkish jets strafe Kurdish positions in northern Syria, and the Turkish president has threatened to send troops to Libya in defiance of the UN weapons embargo.
Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has also threatened to take on a Nato partner, Greece, in a dispute over drilling rights in the Mediterranean.But the UK has been one of Turkey’s staunchest partners and, after its planned departure from the EU, will be in search of trade and defense deals.
In setting up the joint venture company in 2017, the Turkish defence firm Kale and Rolls-Royce said the engines would supply Turkey’s first TF-X aircraft, an indigenous generation of fighters to replace the F-16 fighter jets.
The deal has been hampered by disputes over intellectual property rights and offers from alternative suppliers, including Russia. It also comes as Turkish membership of Nato is again questioned after its purchase of
a Russian S-400 air defence system, a move that has led to renewed calls from the US Congress either for sanctions on Turkey or a permanent ban on the sale of US F-35s jets to the country.
