ISLAMABAD – As Pakistan set to commission 25 J-10C fighter jets to boostthe country’s military capabilities, Islamabad and Istanbul areconcurrently working on the development of a fifth-generation fighterstealth jet TF-X.
The development comes as talks between US and Turkey remained ineffectiveon reviving the F-35 deal. Washington earlier removed Istanbul from itsF-35 fighter program, maintaining that the Turkish S-400 missile systemwould be incompatible with NATO’s missile systems.
Amid the frosty tie with the Biden administration, Pakistan and Turkey arenow collaborating on the production of fifth-generation fighter jets.
The development was confirmed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) CEOTemel Kotil who was recently interviewed by a Pakistani news channel. Otherofficials, including Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Air Vice Marshal Rizwan Riaz,was also part of the programlink.
Turkish officials are now pacing up the efforts on its indigenous stealthfighter program, referred to as TF-X. The two Muslim countries willreportedly divide the development of the fifth-generation warplane.
Turkey will employ engineers from the top Pakistani institution NationalUniversity of Sciences & Technology (NUST), which is said to be the epitomeof research.
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Reports in media also suggest that Turkish Aerospace plans to fly the firstprototype of these jets by 2025 and also aimed to export in later years.
Earlier, Turkish Aerospace Industries claimed that the two sides arecollaborating on a joint satellite program. “We cooperated with PakistanSpace and Upper Research Commission (SUPARCO) to develop satelliteprojects,” TAI mentioned in a tweet saying it will cooperate with PakistanSpace & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO).
In 2021, TAI inked pact with Pakistan’s National Engineering and ScienceCommission (NESCOM) for the joint production of “ANKA Unmanned AerialVehicles.”