Turkiye eyeing "Fierce Dragon" fighter jet should F-16 remain out of reach

Turkiye's strained relationship with the United States has posed as a great barrier to it's efforts to upgrade its arsenal of fighter jets, with Washington blocking the purchase of requested F-16V fighter jets and Berlin showing opposition to the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, likely influenced by the US decision. As Ankara is considering taking its money elsewhere, the Bulgarian military publication has examined the country's latest hint at reaching out for the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, developed jointly by China and Pakistan, a 4++ generation fighter. The article discusses the potential challenges and implications of such a geopolitically significant decision. Caliber.Az reprints this article. 

"Turkiye, a major NATO nation, has been striving to upgrade its arsenal of fighter jets in recent years. The US’s F-16 has been at the top of the list.

However, the relationship between Turkiye and the United States has seen continuous oscillations, leading to the US’s disagreement with Turkiye’s procurement intentions. Consequently, Turkiye has found itself in a challenging position, particularly on the subject of NATO expansion.

Consequently, Turkiye attempted to seek alliances with Europe, with an aspiration to access Typhoon fighter jets. However, they met with firm resistance from Germany.

Reports are that Turkiye is considering reaching out for the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, developed jointly by China and Pakistan. Importantly, this jet is also known by China’s pet name, the Fierce Dragon.

Should Turkiye come to a definitive decision to consider this route, the latest model of the FC-1 Fierce Dragon, version 3.0, stands as the most promising option. It’s worth noting that this jet is categorized as a 4++ generation fighter.

Turkiye lacks US F-16V fighter jets

Insiders in international affairs are keenly aware that Turkiye, a key member of NATO, brings a distinct dynamic to the table. Recent years have borne witness to tense relations between Turkiye and its NATO counterparts, notably the United States.

The friction intensified when the US ejected Turkiye from the global cooperation initiative on the F-35 stealth fighter. This move was a direct retaliation against Turkiye’s decision to procure the Russian S-400 anti-missile apparatus.

This particular decision did not sit well with Turkiye. Rather than backtracking, it persisted in its acquisition of S-400 missiles and, additionally, fortified its alliance with Russia even further.

On the other side of the divide, the US, visibly displeased, sought to limit Turkiye’s ambitions yet again. This time, they pressured Turkiye to curtail its demand for acquiring F-16V fighter jets.

Turkiye took measures

In an unexpected move, Turkiye has expressed interest in purchasing Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets from Europe. Simultaneously, confusion arises as Turkiye blocks Sweden’s potential entry into NATO.

Despite Turkiye’s refusal to endorse Sweden’s membership, Finland, who also applied for NATO’s inclusion, secured its place over eight months ago. Meanwhile, Sweden’s prospective membership hangs in the balance.

However, this decision has further strained the relationship between Turkiye and several prominent NATO countries. This is reflected in the pending approval of Turkiye’s purchase of US F-16V, which remains unapproved to date.

Around the same time, as Turkiye contemplated acquiring Europe’s Typhoon fighter jets, Germany steadfastly sought reasons to affirm its stance.

Typhoons are Turkiye’s next-best option

Reports indicate that Turkiye has plans to purchase 40 Typhoon fighter jets, however, the decision faces opposition from Germany. Many speculate that this opposition is somehow influenced by the United States.

For a clearer understanding, The Typhoon combat aircraft building project is a joint effort involving four nations – The United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain. When it comes to sales to overseas customers, consensus is required from each of these countries.

So, what happens when the pathway is blocked?

Foreign media outlets suggest that an optimal choice for Turkiye might be to acquire the Russian Su-35 fighter jets. Nevertheless, such a move could have significant repercussions, stoking the ongoing tension in the Turkiye-US [NATO] relationship.

Moreover, the integration of the Russian jets with Turkiye’s existing military hardware, predominantly from the US, presents technical challenges and, therefore, a steep price tag due to the technological limitations of the Russian-made jets.

A stark contrast to the issues with Russian technology is seen in the latest version of the JF-17 Thunder, co-developed by China and Pakistan. Not only is this aircraft competitively priced, but it also shows exceptional technical compatibility with Western electronic equipment.

Moreover, when outfitted with active electronically scanned array [AESA] radars and PL-10 air-to-air missiles, the JF-17 Thunder delivers a combat performance on par with Western 4++ generation fighters.

Turkiye met Fierce Dragon

If Turkiye is successful in acquiring 40 FC-1 Fierce Dragon version 3.0, it wouldn’t just be the first instance of a Chinese-designed fighter making its way into a significant NATO country. It would also represent a substantial and high-value transaction.

Several analysts have drawn attention to a common recollection among many Chinese about the HQ-9 missile incident that occurred around a decade ago. At that time, Turkiye utilized the acquisition of the HQ-9 as a lever of negotiation, playing the ‘China card’ to procure a Patriot missile from the United States.

Of late, certain media reports suggest that Turkiye may resort to its earlier strategy, using the FC-1 Fierce Dragon version 3.0 as a means to compel the United States and Europe into opening the doors to fighter jet weapons sales.

True as it is, the FC-1 Fierce Dragon version 3.0 doesn’t measure up to the J-10CE, not to mention the F-16V fighter and the Typhoon fighter. Hence, the possibility of handing these over to Turkiye could easily turn out to be another pitfall.

Industry experts generally concur that Turkiye’s primary motivation behind its announcement of potential interest in purchasing Chinese fighter jets was likely to exert pressure on the United States, to force concessions.

Presuming Turkiye maintains its engagement with NATO following a period of diplomatic wrangling, the consensus is that the nation will ultimately greenlight Sweden’s inclusion in NATO, and the United States will proceed to vend F-16V fighter jets to Turkiye".