The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter seems to be edging out the competition in Turkey to provide the Turkish Air Force with 100 new fighter aircraft, reports the Turkish Daily News. Turkey’s military command told the government’s defense agency that it favored the JSF over Europe’s Eurofighter Typhoon as the only solution for the air force’s requirements. According to TDN, the Turkish Air Force has preferred American aircraft and weapons, while the other Turkish services usually prefer a mix of worldwide providers.
The emphasis on speed in the Pentagon’s newly unveiled slate of acquisition reforms may come with increased near-term cost increases, analysts say. But according to U.S. defense officials, the new weapons-buying construct provides the military with enough flexibility to prevent runaway budget overruns in major programs.
