Turkey is preparing a multi-billion-dollar package to acquire a large number of American commercial and military aircraft, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expected to raise the plans during his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Thursday, 25 September.
The prospective deals include hundreds of Boeing airliners and new Lockheed Martin fighters, alongside proposals for expanded manufacturing in Turkey valued at more than $10 billion.
According to reports citing people familiar with the negotiations, Ankara’s wish-list combines civil and defence elements. On the civil side, Turkey is considering ordering up to 250 Boeing jets to support the growth ambitions of Turkish carriers. On the defence side, officials are seeking to progress an order for 40 F-16 Block 70/72 Viper aircraft together with munitions and spares, and to open discussions on regaining access to the F-35 programme from which Turkey was removed in 2019.
The scope and timing of any announcements appear tied to Erdoğan’s talks in Washington. The White House meeting—confirmed for 25 September—comes amid a broader effort by both sides to stabilise relations and expand trade following years of friction. Ankara has recently moved to ease tensions, including by ending some additional tariffs on certain US imports first imposed in 2018. Turkish officials say they aim to lift bilateral trade to $100 billion annually.
A central issue is Turkey’s future relationship with the F-35. The United States removed Turkey from the joint programme and imposed sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) after Ankara acquired Russia’s S-400 air-defence system. The US position that Turkey cannot rejoin the F-35 programme while it retains the S-400 has been reiterated in recent months. Nonetheless, Erdoğan has said he intends to discuss the F-35 with Trump during this week’s visit.
Turkish officials are also pursuing industrial offsets. People briefed on the talks say Ankara wants US approval for Turkish companies to produce components across the civil and defence packages, in part to balance cash outflows on aircraft purchases. Prior to its removal from the F-35 programme, Turkey had positioned a network of firms to supply parts—ranging from fuselage structures to electronics—for the stealth jet. Any re-entry would likely require updated compliance and security arrangements, and would be subject to US law and congressional oversight.
Progress on the F-16 track has been more tangible. Turkey has long sought to refresh and upgrade elements of its fighter fleet with the Block 70/72 Viper, the latest production standard featuring advanced radar and avionics. Congress has previously scrutinised the sale, but subsequent approvals underlined the aircraft’s role in sustaining NATO-standard interoperability while the F-35 issue remains unresolved. The current package reportedly under discussion includes aircraft, guided munitions and spare engines.
On the commercial aviation side, a large Boeing order would align with the expansion plans of Turkish Airlines and other carriers serving the country’s role as a regional hub. Industry reports indicate the package could be announced as early as the leaders’ meeting, depending on final pricing, delivery schedules and associated industrial participation agreements. Boeing has not commented publicly on the negotiations.
The Washington meeting also sits within a wider strategic recalibration. Analysts note that Ankara views the change in Washington as an opportunity to reset elements of the relationship, including defence industrial cooperation, while the United States continues to emphasise compliance with existing sanctions law and the need to address legacy issues around the S-400. Think tanks and specialist outlets have outlined scenarios for a conditional pathway on the F-35, as well as arguments for maintaining the current exclusion.
Photo: Turkish Presidency
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