Turkey is eying to purchase either Block III JF-17 Thunder fighter jets or Chengdu J-10C semi-stealth 4.5-gen advanced multirole fighter jets from Pakistan after its deal with Lockheed Martin for the purchase of 100 fifth-generation F-35 jets collapsed due to US sanctions.
The country is currently evaluating its limited options after its geographical arch-rival, Greece, completed the acquisition of Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France, with Pakistan being the best-positioned supplier considering the military cooperation between the two countries, reported Eurasian Times.
The US had removed Turkey from its F-35 fighter program, claiming that Turkey’s S-400 missile system would be incompatible with NATO’s missile systems and would expose the next-generation F-35 jets to possible Russian trickery.
In December 2020, the US had officially imposed sanctions on Turkey for procuring the Russian S-400 missile system instead of the American-made Raytheon’s Patriot missile system.
In 2017, Turkey had purchased the Russian S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile system through sanctioned Russian export entity Rosoboronexport. The country received the first associated delivery in July 2019 and tested the system in October 2020.
The US imposed the sanctions on Turkey under the Countering America’s Adversaries through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), making Turkey the first NATO member country to face US sanctions under the CAATSA law.
this is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. First of all Pakistan doesnt manufacture the J10. Also neither the J10 nor the JF17 is a replacement for the F35.
Not a replacement, a stopgap solution just for now, as their Tfx program will take till 2029 at least to enter in service.