Turkish foreign minister criticizes US sanctions impact on military procurement

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has voiced strong criticism regarding the procurement of American F110 turbofan engines used in Türkiye’s domestically developed Kaan fighter jet.

SavunmaSanayiST.com made a post via its social media platform X, saying Fidan, in his first public remarks on the US Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), described the legislation as a significant obstacle for Türkiye, Caliber.Az reports.

🔴Hakan Fidan:

“Şu anda almayı beklediğimiz F-35 ve KAAN'ın motorları var. ABD Kongresi'nde bekletiliyor ve lisansları durmuş durumda. Onların lisanslarının hayata geçirilmesi ve motorların gelmesi lazım ki KAAN'ların üretimi başlayabilsin.

Bizim ABD ile olan ilişkimizde… pic.twitter.com/CRv7XownsN

— SavunmaSanayiST.com (@SavunmaSanayiST) September 27, 2025

He stated, “CAATSA emerged following the events of 2019. It presents a serious challenge for us. The existence of legal restrictions between two NATO allies that prevent mutual procurement is a substantial systemic problem.”

Fidan further noted that critical technical issues concerning the engines for the F-35 fighter and the national combat aircraft KAAN remain unresolved, as the approvals and licenses required are currently stalled in the US Congress. “At present, we have engines for both the F-35 and KAAN that we are awaiting. Their delivery has been delayed, and the associated licenses suspended. These licenses must be granted and the engines delivered to enable the commencement of KAAN production,” he emphasized.

Highlighting the broader implications of strained US-Türkiye relations, Fidan suggested that these constraints would compel Türkiye to seek alternative avenues within the global system. “While we are actively developing our own capabilities, no country can achieve complete self-sufficiency solely through domestic development,” he remarked.

Fidan concluded by underscoring the importance of integration within international defence ecosystems: “It is essential to be part of both the alliance culture and the defence industry ecosystem. Technology transfer, acquisition of more advanced weaponry, or procurement of sophisticated systems is vital — these can be sourced from us, and we are ready to supply them.”

By Vafa Guliyeva