The Trump administration has notified Congress of its intent to sell Turkey more than $700 million worth of General Electric F110 engines, despite opposition from some lawmakers over Ankara’s Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, Reuters reported.
The proposed sale would bolster Turkey’s KAAN fighter jet program, which currently relies on F110 engines for its prototypes. An initial batch of 10 engines was delivered in 2025, and Ankara has been seeking to acquire an additional 80 engines for the indigenous fighter.
“The US government is prepared to license the export of these items, having taken into account political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations,” Reuters quoted a US State Department notification to Congress as stating.
The notification comes ahead of a NATO summit in Turkey on July 7 and 8, amid efforts by the Trump administration to strengthen ties with Ankara. However, the move falls short of Turkey’s broader goal of rejoining the F-35 program.
Congress has 15 days to introduce a joint resolution of disapproval to block the sale. The measure would need to pass both chambers before being sent to President Donald Trump, who could veto it.
Advancing KAAN Fighter Program.
Turkey currently relies on imported F110 engines for the KAAN program while it develops the indigenous TEI-TF35000 as a long-term replacement.
Expected to be integrated into the KAAN in 2032, the TEI-TF35000 is projected to reach full maturity by 2036. Meanwhile, Turkey plans to begin delivering the first batch of 20 indigenous KAAN stealth fighters by 2030.
Designed for air superiority and precision strike missions, the twin-engine KAAN combines stealth features, advanced sensors, and network-centric capabilities.
The aircraft is intended to replace the Turkish Air Force’s F-16 fleet from the late 2020s and is also being marketed to potential export customers, including Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia.