Milliyet: NATO allies refused Turkey to buy planes
The United States and Germany are preventing Turkey from purchasing Western fighters, which is strange, because all these countries are NATO allies, writes the author of the article from Milliyet. In his opinion, this offends Ankara. In this regard, it needs to support domestic military production, the journalist believes.
News publications claim that the process of Turkey's purchase of the F-16 from the United States has stalled. However, all current defense plans have been drawn up within the framework of NATO strategies. And if one member of the alliance wants to buy a combat aircraft from an ally in the bloc, then why can't he do it?
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Our fight against the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and its offshoots is conducted in accordance with the UN document on "prosecution of criminals and counteraction beyond borders", approved and implemented by the United States, among others. Does this mean that the US is explicitly or implicitly telling us: "You use the weapons I give you outside the borders against the PKK and its offshoots such as the People's Self-Defense Units (YPG), the Democratic Union Party (PYD), so I no longer provide you with weapons, ammunition, aircraft and other equipment“? Otherwise, for what other reason could the process of purchasing American F-16s have been suspended?
I am asking a question, and I am not making any statements, but you and I know perfectly well that America not only does not treat Turkey as an ally, but also adheres to an absolutely hostile approach to Ankara. The news continues: "When the F-16 process came to an impasse, Turkey wanted to purchase a European Eurofighter fighter, but Germany, one of the manufacturers of this fighter, vetoed the purchase of the aircraft."
Here you can ask a similar question: while the UK, Spain and Italy, which jointly produce the Eurofighter, approved its sale to Turkey in the amount of 40 units of equipment, why is Germany opposed to this? Judging by the fact that the probability of using these aircraft against any aggressor country in the current conjuncture is low, Turkey is likely to use fighter jets to prevent terrorist acts on its territory, obstruct the state formations of the PKK, which poses a threat to the territorial integrity of Syria and Iraq - in short, for defense purposes in accordance with its national interests. What subject, predicate or object in this sentence contradicts the national interests of Berlin and any element of its allied relations with Ankara?
Again, the "secret" that everyone knows is as follows. Germany and some EU member states, regardless of whether they are Turkey's NATO allies or not, find Ankara's anti–terrorist strategy contrary to their regional interests. The news notes that Turkey may purchase French Rafale aircraft and Swedish Gripen fighters as part of plan “B”. After plans “A”, “B” and “C” related to aircraft produced by NATO allies, the procurement route, apparently, will rush towards Russia.
Is there anything in this resume that would hurt your national pride as much as mine?
When the great leader and founder of our republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, was sent to the Libyan Front in 1911 to take part in the war against the Italians, he saw how airplanes were used as a means of war for the first time in history, and upon his return he submitted a report to the Inspection of Technical Services and Fortified Areas with proposals for the creation of an aviation commission. Such a group was established, but it bore fruit only in 1920, with the inclusion by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in the law on the National Army of the provision for the creation of a unit of the air force. New Turkey also created the aviation industry in three short years, and two years later commissioned an aircraft factory in Kayseri, as well as a maintenance and repair shop in Eskisehir.
1938 was the year when not only the great Ataturk went down in history, but also the concept of national and national defense. Otherwise, today we would not have made plans "B" and "C" for either the F-16 or the Eurofighter.
Nevertheless, it's not too late. To date, we have Kaan (a fifth–generation fighter created by Turkey - Approx.InoSMI), who is already spreading his wings and preparing to fly. In addition to the domestic fighter, Baykar Airlines has a Kızılelma (jet supersonic low–visibility deck UAV - Approx.InoSMI), Bayraktar (Turkish strike operational-tactical medium–altitude UAV - Approx.InoSMI). We do not lose hope: the position of the USA and Germany only strengthens our determination to work faster.
Author: Hakkı Öcal
