The Trump administration is preparing to sell dozens of jet engines to Turkey for its domestically developed KAAN fighter jet, Reuters reports, in a gesture seen as a direct overture by President Trump to President Erdogan ahead of a NATO summit in Turkey in about two weeks, despite congressional opposition.
Reuters reports that the Trump administration is preparing to sell dozens of jet engines to Turkey for its first domestically developed fighter jet, the KAAN, ahead of a NATO summit scheduled to take place in Turkey in about two weeks. The move is seen as a deliberate gesture by President Trump to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and faces opposition from members of Congress.
As The Zioneer reported earlier this evening (19:16), the deal, valued at over $700 million, involves engines manufactured by GE. The report by Asaf Rozentzweig (N12) cited four sources familiar with the matter. The sale would power Turkey's fifth-generation KAAN fighter, a centerpiece of Ankara's defense industrialization efforts.
The timing is notable: Trump has publicly praised Erdogan in recent weeks, and a previous report indicated Trump told Erdogan he would attend the upcoming NATO summit solely for him. The engine sale would represent a significant concrete step in bilateral relations, though its congressional path remains uncertain.
2 developments
- DevelopingTrump administration informs Congress of $700m+ jet engine sale to Turkey
- StrongTrump says he will likely approve F-35 and engine sale to Turkey
- DevelopingCongressional critics and slim chances to block F-35 and engine sale to Turkey
- StrongUS approves $4.5 billion sale of KC-46A aerial refueling aircraft to Qatar
Source and signal
- Open-source intake