From F-16 Viper and Gripen to Su-35: Does Turkey really want Russian fighters? 28/10/2021 - 05:19 Su-35 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter When Recep Tayyip Erdogan said last September that Turkey could turn to Russia to buy new fighter jets , such as the Su-35 or Su-57, and jointly produce engines for its air force, many in NATO they wondered and were troubled by the rhetoric of the Turkish President. This is because if Turkey procures new Russian equipment, after the S-400 air defence missile systems, even more, and bigger problems arise as to whether or not it is possible to integrate them into the arsenal of the Turkish Armed Forces and NATO in general. aircraft in Turkey's NATO-based fleets. Ankara had already made its first move to replace its obsolete F-16s when, in September, it applied to Washington for 40 new F-16 fighter jets and 80 modernization kits, proving that Russian Fighters are not Turkey's first choice, otherwise they would not have started the procedures for American aircraft. USAF F-16 Viper However, US sanctions against Turkey over the purchase of S-400s and the great "hostility" of Congress to Erdogan have left officials in Ankara very pessimistic about the $ 6 billion F-16 deal. and requires the approval of the Americans. Source Link