Speaking of the big changes happening in the world, the Turks are developing their own 5th generation fighter jet. The reason they are building their own is that they were kicked off the F-35 project because they bought the S-400 anti-aircraft system from the Russians, and not the American Patriot system. And why didn’t they buy the Patriot? Well, they apparently wanted a licence to manufacture the missiles themselves, which the US did not agree to.
In addition, the Turks had previously had an arms embargo imposed on them in connection with the hostilities in Cyprus, which left its mark, and the desire to become self-sufficient with their own arms industry increased significantly.
The peculiar relationship between the Turks and the Americans reveals some weaknesses in the Western war machine. It is quite clear that Washington wants to sell very expensive weapons, without sharing too much of the technology, while their weapons are not really top-notch. The Turks would never have bought the S-400 if it wasn’t better or comparable to the Patriot, which experience from Ukraine also confirms. Above all, the Patriot is very expensive, like all other American weapon systems. There is a bit of ‘scam’ about it all. It’s a bit like Spirou in Bretzelburg if you’ve read those comics.
The war in Ukraine also shows that a protracted conflict with a comparable enemy requires simpler, affordable and more easily produced weapons and spare parts. It’s not enough to be technologically superior and treat all war correspondents to a long lunch. War is a dirty sport, and requires more than developing yesterday’s weapon systems to perfection.
Artillery shells, drones and supersonic missiles have proved to be an odd but effective combination. In the shadow of this, where manned combat aircraft are no longer as important, Turkey’s aviation dreams may be a little dated, but they also show ambition and technical competence, as well as the will to consolidate its position as a regional power.
