Turkey will be the maintenance and repair center of Europe for F35 fighter aircraft manufactured under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) plan. According to an announcement by the Undersecretariat of Defense Industries, the U.S. Defense Department has completed its search for European airframe and heavy-duty motor maintenance repair centers for the new general fighter aircraft JSF/F35. Turkey will purchase more than 100 of the planes.

As a result of the analysis performed, Turkey has acquired the right to become the first center to be established in 2018 to provide heavy-duty maintenance and repair services for the engines of JSF aircrafts in Europe. The engine production and maintenance center, which will be established in the province of Eskişehir, will solely offer warehouse-level maintenance services for three years. The JSF program includes design, development, production and logistic support for F-35 aircrafts on a global scale. Along with Turkey, the U.K., Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, Norway and Denmark are other participants in the program. The airframe and engines of F-35 aircrafts are manufactured in Turkey, and it is expected that Turkey will receive two aircrafts in 2018 within the scope of this program.