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IDEF 2021: F-35 is out but what is next for Turkey? (Defence Insight analysis)

13th August 2021 - 17:00 GMT | by İlker Aktaşoğlu in London

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Turkish military aircraft ambitions remain undimmed despite ongoing US sanctions.

The future combat readiness of the Turkish Air Force (TAF) is structured around two distinct combat aircraft platforms. A high-end stealth fighter jet is expected to constitute 25% of the future combat aircraft inventory, with the remaining 75% estimated to be filled with 4.5th-generation fixed-wing fighters.

For the latter, Turkish Aerospace is working on the TF-X programme, known as Milli Muharip Uçak (MMU), that was unveiled in 2010. TF-X is going to replace the ageing F-16 inventory in TAF service. Turkey will purchase more than 250 TF-X aircraft between 2029-2040. A first flight is scheduled in Q3 2026, according

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