Türkiye eyes major Boeing and Lockheed deals worth billions
Planned purchases include hundreds of airliners, F-16 jets, and revived F-35 talks, reports say
ISTANBUL, Türkiye (MNTV) — Türkiye is preparing to acquire hundreds of Boeing commercial aircraft and Lockheed Martin fighter jets, while seeking more than $10 billion in local production agreements, Bloomberg reported Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The deals, which would mark one of Türkiye’s largest aviation purchases in recent years, remain subject to approval by U.S. President Donald Trump, according to the report.
Ankara’s Defense Ministry declined to comment, while Turkish officials have not confirmed the scale of the proposed acquisitions.
The development comes ahead of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s scheduled meeting with Trump at the White House on Thursday, where trade and defense contracts are expected to dominate discussions.
Trump has expressed interest in finalizing agreements that include the Boeing aircraft order, a major F-16 deal, and renewed talks over Türkiye’s participation in the F-35 program.
Erdoğan confirmed Monday that the F-35 issue will be on the table. Speaking on Fox News’ “Special Report,” he said Ankara expects Washington to “do what it needs to do” on both F-35s and F-16s, covering production, maintenance, and future deliveries.
The meeting will be Erdoğan’s first visit to the White House since 2019, when he and Trump publicly highlighted their “very good relationship,” despite disputes over Syria policy and Türkiye’s purchase of Russian defense systems.
In 2019, Türkiye’s acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile system led to its suspension from the multinational F-35 program, with Washington citing security risks to the advanced fighter jets.
Ankara rejected those concerns, proposing a joint commission to resolve the issue, but instead shifted focus to F-16 procurement.
Analysts say the potential agreements could reshape U.S.-Türkiye defense ties after years of tension, but approval will depend on Washington’s willingness to balance strategic cooperation with concerns over Ankara’s defense partnerships with Moscow.
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