Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Business
  • Automotive
  • Economy
  • Energy
  • Finance
  • Tourism
  • Tech
  • Defense
  • Transportation
  • News Analysis

Trump confirms Turkey still manufacturing F-35 parts

by DAILY SABAH

ISTANBUL May 15, 2020 - 2:30 pm GMT+3
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 14, 2020. (EPA Photo)
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 14, 2020. (EPA Photo)
by DAILY SABAH May 15, 2020 2:30 pm

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday hinted he may move production for all components of the F-35 fighter jet to the United States, while also confirming that Turkey continues to produce key components of the jet despite being suspended from the program nearly a year ago.

Trump, whose remarks came in an interview with Fox Business Network’s Maria Bartiromo Thursday, said parts for the F-35 jet are being made all over the world and also cited challenges of global cooperation.

“It’s a great jet, and we make parts for this jet all over the world. We make them in Turkey, we make them here, we’re going to make them there. All because President (Barack) Obama and others — I’m not just blaming him — thought it was a wonderful thing,” he said. “The problem is if we have a problem with a country, you can’t make the jet. We get parts from all over the place. It’s so crazy. We should make everything in the United States,” he said.

Asked whether transferring production to the U.S. in full would be possible, Trump said: “Yeah, we’re doing it because I’m changing all those policies.”

"Look, we make F-35s — very important, the greatest jet in the world — where the main body of the jet is made in Turkey, and then it's sent here,” Trump said.

“Now we have good relations with President (Recep Tayyip) Erdoğan. ... What happens if we don’t have. Are they going to say 'we are not gonna give you this, and now we have to gear up,'" Trump added.

Turkey's Defense Industries Presidency (SSB) head İsmail Demir last week said the country is still producing and delivering parts for the F-35 jets despite being suspended from the program nearly a year ago.

"There was an understanding in the United States that nothing would be bought from Turkey for the F-35s after March 2020, but that approach is no longer there," Demir said. "Our companies continue their production and delivery," he noted, adding that Turkey remained a "loyal partner" of the F-35 program.

Taking Turkey out of the project would cost other members of the program up to $600 million, he said.

Washington announced last July that it was removing Turkey from the F-35 jet program over its purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems.

Ankara had ordered more than 100 of the stealth fighters, and Turkish defense companies were also involved in building the jets, manufacturing some of the critical components for the aircraft.

Despite the fact that Turkey has been emphasizing that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and therefore had no chance to pose any threat to the alliance or its armaments, the U.S. has insisted that the Russian system is not compatible with weapons of the NATO air-and-missile defense system.

A U.S. congressional watchdog, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), in its latest annual report this week said the U.S. decision to expel Turkey from the F-35 program is likely to compound its already beleaguered supply chain issues.

The GAO said some suppliers struggled to meet increased production demands in 2019, and as a result, the program witnessed increased rates of late deliveries of parts due to shortages.

While the program made progress in lowering prices and increasing production, according to the GAO, about 7,000 of its more than 10,000 airframe contractors' "key processes" do not "meet predefined design standards for ensuring product quality," and it continues to face supply shortages that are likely to be exacerbated by Turkey's removal.

It said the program has identified new sources for 1,005 parts produced by Turkish suppliers, but the program is assessing the effect of 15 key parts not currently being produced at the needed production rate.

The number of F-35 parts delivered late skyrocketed from less than 2,000 in August 2017 to upward of 10,000 in July 2019, according to the watchdog. The number of parts shortages per month also climbed from 875 in July 2018 to more than 8,000 in July 2019. It said over 60% of the shortages are caused by 20 suppliers.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: May 15, 2020 3:53 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    f-35 jets united states turkey
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    An amateur photographer Vincent Cornelissen captures a bean goose flying upside down. (Photo from Instagram @b0unce1971)

    It is showing off: Photographer captures goose flying upside down

    ANIMALS-ARCHIVES
    A crude oil tanker sails in the Bosporus, on its way to the Mediterranean Sea, in Istanbul, Türkiye, Dec. 11, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye registers better-than-expected current account gap

    current-account-balance

    Accumulated tension of hundreds of years moved Anatolia by 3m

    Harold-Tobin

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    Over 1,000 homes razed to the ground by urban wildfire in Colorado
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021