Turkey ready to consider alternatives to U.S. F-35 fighter jets

Turkey is ready to consider alternatives to U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets if the United States refuses to hand them over to the republic, head of Turkey’s Defense Industry Directorate Ismail Demir said.

According to him, Ankara keeps studying the alternatives. "When one door is closed, other doors become open. We can make our own door, too," the Anadolu news agency cited Demir as saying.

The official added that Turkey’s advanced TF-X (Turkish Fighter - X) fifth-generation fighter jet was unveiled during the Paris Air Show 2019 in Le Bourget in June.

Demir added that "as far as the fighter jet issue is concerned, Russia offers different options."