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Hulusi Akar, chairperson of the Turkish Parliament's National Defense Committee, stated Friday that Türkiye is returning to the F-35 fighter jet program as a production partner rather than merely a buyer, following a series of meetings with U.S. lawmakers he described as taking place in an "extremely positive, productive and constructive atmosphere."
Speaking to reporters at the Turkish Embassy residence in Washington, Akar addressed the status of F-35 jets built for Türkiye but never delivered and how the process might move forward following U.S. President Donald Trump's recent remarks.
The Turkish official stressed that Ankara is not simply a purchaser of the aircraft but one of the program's production partners.
"We are returning to the program. We are not in the position of an F-35 buyer. We have responsibilities within the program, including our part-manufacturing duties, and we will fulfill them. So this is a program, and we will continue our work," Akar said, according to Turkish outlet M5, whose Washington representative, Anil Sural, questioned him.
Akar said technical and operational work related to the S-400 issue would be carried out by relevant Turkish ministries going forward.
"Parties are working to achieve concrete developments, and Allah willing, this will reach a good point. These are, of course, technical matters, operational matters, and ministry-level matters. Congress is not part of this process. We left the meetings with the impression that no obstacle remains on this matter," he noted.
Akar told reporters that Türkiye's delegation had met with the chairs and members of the House Armed Services, Intelligence and Foreign Affairs committees, as well as the head of the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, with defense and security cooperation dominating discussions.
"Overall, the meetings took place in an extremely positive, productive and constructive atmosphere," Akar noted.
Addressing reports that Türkiye could transfer its Russian-made S-400 systems to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a way to resolve the U.S. sanctions dispute, the Turkish official said the matter had not been discussed in those specific terms.
"We did not say, nor are we saying, that the S-400s are going to the UAE," Akar said.
"We discussed and conferred with them, noting that an agreement has been reached to resolve this matter and put it on the right track as soon as possible and that there may be developments in the near future leading to the resolution of this issue causing friction between us," he added.
He said U.S. officials indicated they were receiving "positive information" through their own channels.
"Ultimately, the S-400 issue will be resolved one way or another. We anticipate, hope for, and look forward to certain developments in this regard, and it appears likely to happen," Akar said.
"After all, the S-400 is the reason cited for the suspension of the F-35 program; once that issue is removed, the F-35 program will naturally resume," the Turkish official noted.
He said Türkiye's position in the F-35 program remains strong given its manufacturing history, recalling that Turkish industry had produced components for roughly 1,000 F-35 aircraft before the country's suspension from the program and citing a past conversation with a U.S. deputy defense official responsible for the program who, he said, had argued that Türkiye should not have been removed given the quality and consistency of its manufacturing work.
Türkiye's Ministry of National Defense (MoND) said Thursday that work on the S-400 systems is "continuing in multiple dimensions," adding that developments would be shared with the public "when there are concrete developments."
Akar said discussions also touched on the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), with both sides expressing optimism, noting Trump's recent public remarks on the matter had been reflected in Congress.
He said the KAAN engine issue was also discussed and remained a priority and that a separate F-16 procurement process was proceeding positively.
"We went through a stagnant period over the past three to five years," Akar said.
"It would not be wrong to say this is now coming to an end, and that a more normal, regular and stable period in the relationship has begun, or is about to begin," he noted.
The Turkish official noted that the Turkish delegation repeatedly stressed to U.S. counterparts that relations between Türkiye and the U.S. are "more important than ever" and that defense cooperation between the two countries carries strategic importance not only bilaterally but also for NATO deterrence, collective defense and broader Euro-Atlantic security.
He also highlighted Türkiye's counterterrorism efforts, saying Ankara had made progress while respecting the territorial integrity of Iraq and Syria.
"Our only concern is to eliminate terrorism at its source so that it no longer poses a threat," he said.
Akar also addressed Israeli opposition to Türkiye's potential return to the F-35 program, saying Turkish officials had told their American counterparts that Washington should not allow Israel to "exploit" the U.S.
"As a friend, we have pointed out to them that Israel is behaving in a very spoiled manner and exploiting America, attempting to carry out certain agendas using American funds and causing the deaths of thousands of people (in the Gaza Strip)... We have expressed that America must now put a stop to this spoiled behavior, that doing so is essential for regional stability and for preventing the conflict from spreading," Akar stated.
He also said discussions in Washington also touched on regional issues, including Armenia-Azerbaijan relations, Iran, and the Russia-Ukraine war.
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