The news that a formal approval remains for Greece to get the F-35s causes concern in Ankara and many questions are expressed by the Turkish press and analysts.

Turkish media report: “New development on the Greek F-35 issue?” – “Greece ready for formal approval from Congress and Biden to get F-35s” and they comment that “Greece already has F-16 Block-70 and Turkey wants to fill the gap in the balance of power”.

As the SKAI correspondent broadcasts from Istanbul, Manolis KostidisTurkish analysts comment: “All of Ankara’s planning was for the F-35s but now we are talking about the F-16s”

“Turkey is trying to fill the gap with Greece, which has modernized and high-tech fighters.”

The TV reporter Haberturk Metehan Demir commented: “Turkey submitted a request for 40 F-16 Block-70s as well as kits to modernize 79 F-16 fighters. at Block-70 level. This was done in the framework of the “emergency action plan” as all the strategic planning of the Air Force had been done with the F-35.

Since these aircraft did not arrive, the plans were revised and he immediately wants to integrate the F-16 fighters into the system. Turkey has a large target of F-16s but many are old models such as F-16 Block-30, 40, 50. There are also the. Block 60 which were produced for another country. But Greece already has many F-16 Block-70s.

In the context of the balance of power, maybe Turkey is more effective, but it wants to close the gap that exists in terms of modernized fighters that have high technology. Turkey has about 220 fighters, if the modernization kits come, of these 79 will reach the Block-70 level.”

Turkey touts own fighter to fly in 2028 – ‘It’s equivalent to F-35’, Turkish officials say

TUSAS aerospace company president Temel Kotil said: “This here will be a 5th generation fighter. It has a different geometry other design. It has nothing to do with the F-16 or the Hurjet. The design is different in order not to be detected by radars and to have a low footprint. From here, if the radio waves enter, there should be no reflection. Also, in order to have no trace of the burning of the fuel, there is a special mechanism. That is, this here is equivalent to the F-35, F-22, J-20, SU-57 and we will develop the aircraft and add systems”.

Milliyet newspaper reports: “Ankara and Washington will open their cards on all issues”

“F-16, Sweden in NATO, US support for Syrian Kurds and arms embargoes”