Turkey, a major NATO member state, has been working to upgrade its military arsenal in recent years. The US F-16 has topped the list.
However, the relationship between Turkey and the United States has seen continuous deterioration, resulting in US disagreement with Turkey’s purchasing intentions. Therefore, Turkey has found itself vulnerable, especially in terms of NATO expansion.
Therefore, Turkey tried to seek cooperation with Europe, with the desire to acquire Typhoon aircraft. However, he faced strong German opposition.
Driven by desperation, reports say Turkey is considering acquiring the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, which is jointly developed by China and Pakistan. More importantly, this jet is also known by the Chinese pet name, the Terrible Dragon.
When Turkey makes a definite decision to consider this strategy, the latest version of the FC-1 Fierce Dragon, version 3.0, is the best option. It is worth noting that this jet is in the 4++ military category.
Turkey does not have US F-16V fighter jets
Those in the international arena are well aware that Turkey, an important member of NATO, brings many interesting features to the table. Recent years have witnessed tensions between Turkey and its NATO partners, especially the United States.
The conflict escalated when the United States pulled Turkey out of the international F-35 deal. The move was in direct retaliation to Turkey’s decision to purchase Russian S-400 air defense systems.
The election did not please Turkey. Instead of backing down, it pressed ahead with the acquisition of the S-400 missile system and, in addition, further strengthened its alliance with Russia.
On the other side of the divide, the US, seemingly displeased, also sought to moderate Turkey’s ambitions. Meanwhile, he forced Turkey to reduce its demand for F-16V fighter jets.
Turkey took action
Unexpectedly, Turkey has expressed interest in buying Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets from Europe. At the same time, confusion arises when Turkey blocks Sweden from joining NATO.
Although Turkey refused to accept Sweden’s membership, Finland, which also applied for NATO integration, got its place eight months ago. Meanwhile, Sweden’s prospective membership is in jeopardy.
However, the decision has also strained relations between Turkey and several prominent NATO countries. This is evident in the pending approval of Turkey’s purchase of the US F-16V, which has not yet been approved.
At the same time, when Turkey was thinking of buying European Typhoons, Germany tried to find reasons to justify its opinion.
Rainfall is another great option in Turkey
Reports indicate that Turkey has plans to buy 40 Typhoon fighter jets, but the decision is against Germany. Many believe that this opposition was inspired in some way by the United States.
To make it clear, the Typhoon Aircraft Project is a joint project of four countries – United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain. When it comes to selling to foreign customers, cooperation is required from both countries.
So what happens when a channel is blocked?
Foreign media reports suggest that the best option for Turkey would be to buy Russian Su-35 fighter jets. However, such a move could have far-reaching consequences, fueling ongoing tensions in Turkey-US (NATO) relations.
In addition, combining Russian jets with existing Turkish military equipment, especially from the US, leads to technical difficulties and, as a result, higher costs due to the technological limitations of Russian-made jets.
The biggest contrast to the Russian technology story is seen in the latest version of the JF-17 Thunder, developed by China and Pakistan. Not only is this aircraft expensive, but it also exhibits a unique ability to match Western electronics.
In addition, when equipped with a radar-based anti-missile system (AESA) and PL-10 surface-to-air missiles, the JF-17 Thunder offers a mission against Western generation 4++ fighters.
Turkey met the Fierce Dragon
If Turkey is successful in acquiring 40 FC-1 Fierce Dragon version 3.0, it would not be the first time that a Chinese-made fighter enters a major NATO country. It may also indicate a large and high-priced sale.
Several researchers have drawn attention to the memory that exists among many Chinese people of the HQ-9 missile incident that happened a decade ago. At the time, Turkey used the acquisition of HQ-9 as a bargaining chip, playing the “China card” to acquire the Patriot missile from the United States.
Recently, some media reports indicate that Turkey may use its old strategy, using the FC-1 Fierce Dragon version 3.0 as a way to pressure the United States and Europe to open the doors to the sale of military weapons.
In reality, the FC-1 Fierce Dragon version 3.0 is no match for the J-10CE, let alone the F-16V and Typhoon fighter. Therefore, the ability to provide this to Turkey may be another problem.
Turkey is cheating
Industry experts generally agree that Turkey’s announcement that it wants to buy Chinese fighter jets could push the United States to accept the deal.
Assuming that Turkey continues to cooperate with NATO after a period of diplomatic disputes, the agreement is that Sweden will remain green in NATO, and the United States will sell F-16V aircraft to Turkey.
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