Arms trade

Turkey discussing purchase of Russian fighter jets, says Erdogan

Turkey is holding talks with Russia on the purchase of Russian military equipment, namely Sukhoi fighter jets, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday, the NTV channel reports.

"Our cooperation with Russia [in the sphere of arms acquisition] is already implemented within the framework of the S-400 missile systems deal. However, after what we have witnessed at the air show [MAKS-2019], our ministries - the Ministry of Defense, the Defense Industry Directorate - carried on the negotiations with the Russian side," Erdogan said in response to whether any additional steps have been made after Erdogan was shown the Su-57 fighter jet during the 2019 MAKS Air Show.

Erdogan pointed out the "prospects of expanded cooperation in the sphere of defense industry." "For example, combat and reconnaissance drones. We take certain mutual steps in this area," he said.

Regarding Turkey’s potential exclusion from the US F-35 fighter jet program and the search for alternatives like Russian-made Sukhoi aircrafts, Erdogan noted that "these planes are very different from each other."