Turkey is on the cusp of joining the elite club of nations that possess fifth-generation fighter jets, alongside the likes of the United States, Russia, China, and South Korea. While Turkey’s ambition to develop its own fifth-generation fighter has been a long-standing goal, the world recently got its first official glimpse of the prototype currently in development.
The TF-X project took shape on drawing boards back in 2010, but it gained significant importance for Turkey only two years ago. In 2020, Ankara turned down a deal offered by Washington to acquire Patriot air defense systems and shifted its focus to Russia, ultimately deciding to purchase the Russian S-400 air defense system.
Turkey’s rationale for choosing the Russian system included better pricing, faster delivery, and the absence of mandatory future arms purchases tied to the deal. However, this decision led to months of disputes between Ankara and Washington, with the U.S. playing its trump card: Turkey would be excluded from the F-35 Lightning II program if it activated the S-400 system.
Turkey had originally ordered a hundred American F-35 fighter jets, and numerous Turkish companies were involved in producing components for these aircraft. Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program had consequences for both the country’s economy and the U.S., which had to quickly find alternative suppliers for the Turkish-made components, under similar pricing and time constraints.
Left without a fifth-generation fighter to replace its existing fleet of F-16 Fighting Falcons, Turkey accelerated the TF-X project. Additionally, Turkey had to grapple with U.S. influence over other nations involved in producing aircraft components, engines, and materials. However, due to pre-existing orders, Turkey managed to obtain two GE F110 engines from the U.S.
Simultaneously, Turkey recognized that its reliance on the U.S. and other partners could increase over time, prompting the country to invest in local production capabilities, similar to India’s approach. The two GE F110 engines acquired from the U.S. will be used in the TF-X prototype. Turkey is actively developing its own engines to power its domestic fifth-generation fighter jet.
Recent photos shared online depict the progress made on the TF-X prototype, with the aircraft’s body already assembled. It appears that the TF-X will be equipped with two engines, and sources on the ground estimate the aircraft’s length to be over 20 meters. This characteristic has led Turkish media and observers to draw comparisons between the TF-X and the American F-22 Raptor. Besides the F-22, the Russian Su-57 Felon and the Chinese J-20 Mighty Dragon are also over 20 meters long. However, Turkey draws parallels with the F-22 due to their historical similarities: both projects aimed to create a fifth-generation fighter for the domestic market and replace aging aircraft of their time.
The GE F110 engines are expected to power the TF-X prototype in three years, with 2025 earmarked for the first major flight of the TF-X. Some experts note that GE F110s are renowned for their reliability and efficiency, suggesting that the future Turkish TF-X engine may share these characteristics. Others speculate that Turkey might even use GE’s F110 patents.
The success of the GE F110 engines in meeting the TF-X’s requirements remains to be seen. The F110 engine currently powers U.S. F-15 and F-16 fighter jets. It is known that Turkey is seeking an engine option similar to that of the F-22, such as the Pratt and Whitney F119-100, which could offer a maximum flight speed in the range of Mach 2.25-2.50 and a maximum range of 3,000 kilometers.
The unveiling of the TF-X on the assembly line is positive news for Ankara. On one hand, Turkey is demonstrating to the world that, despite American sanctions, it is committed to meeting the challenge and developing its own fighter. On the other hand, this progress will expedite the renewal of the F-16 fleet.
The U.S. has already agreed to upgrade Turkey’s existing F-16s, and given Turkey’s evident progress, it would be unwise to miss the opportunity to sell upgrades over the next decade while the TF-X undergoes testing, initial flights, and production. If anything, the U.S. has inadvertently played a role in hastening the development of the TF-X. While Washington’s economic sanctions can be effective at times, they don’t always yield the desired outcomes, and sometimes one must acknowledge that they are not the sole player in the game.
