The Turkey problem

[spazsinbad]

Here’s why training for Turkish F-35 maintainers will proceed despite pause for Turkey’s student pilots
11 Jun 2019 Valerie Insinna

"WASHINGTON — Training for Turkish F-35 pilots has stopped as the Pentagon prepares to expel Turkey from the joint strike fighter program, but Turkish students learning to maintain the F-35 at Eglin Air Force base will be able to complete their training, a base spokeswoman has confirmed....

...The initial plan, laid out by acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, would have allowed Turkish F-35 pilots to continue training at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., as long as they left the country by July 31. However, Brig. Gen. Todd Canterbury, commander of the base’s 56th Wing, opted to pause training for Turkish pilots due to concerns about their access to sensitive information, according to Foreign Policy, which was the first to report the information.

Those same concerns do not exist at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., which is responsible for the initial training of foreign F-35 maintainers, because foreign maintainers do not have access to classified data.

“The 33rd Fighter Wing is complying with the Secretary of Defense's memo of having all Turkish training completed by July 31st,” said Lt. Savannah Stephens, chief of public affairs for Eglin’s 33rd Fighter Wing. “We have no concerns about the current students finishing their training as everything they do here is on an FOUO [for official use only] or unclassified level and they only work with training devices.”

All current jet mechanic students are scheduled to graduate on July 24 and 27, and the Turkish leadership team will leave on July 29, Stephens said. There are currently 42 Turkish pilots and maintainers training at Luke and Eglin. The July 31 deadline would allow 28 of them to complete their training, but the remainder would be sent home before their training naturally concluded, according to information attached to Shanahan’s letter...."

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/digital-sho ... nt-pilots/

[optimist]

They have a couple of instructor pilots. So they know the what, up to today.. They also have all the partner info, which I think would exceed the pilot's knowledge.

[spazsinbad]

Lockheed Exec: With Time, Turkish F-35 Ouster Won’t Hurt
13 Jun 2019 John A. Tirpak

"Lockheed Martin is continuously assessing its F-35 supply chain and eyeing potential alternate vendors, for just such a case as Turkey’s expulsion from the multinational program, company executive vice president for aeronautics Michele Evans said on June 13. It’s likely the Turkish eviction won’t have much effect on cost or schedule of the program writ large, she said.

Evans, after a pre-Paris Air Show briefing for defense journalists, told Air Force Magazine, “with time, we can adjust” the F-35 supply chain to account for disruptions such as Turkey’s ouster. “We are always working with our vendors and suppliers, … and looking for the lowest-cost” approach to building the F-35, she said, noting there is a shop at Lockheed whose sole function is to develop production work-arounds in case of an interruption of supply. “We can’t afford to wait for things like this to happen,” she said. “We have to be ready with something else” to replace lost vendors....

...Evans insisted the issues regarding Turkey’s exit from the program are “government-to-government” and the company will do as it’s directed. She could not offer any information on what might become of tooling and other F-35 industrial equipment now in Turkey...."

Source: http://www.airforcemag.com/Features/Pag ... -Hurt.aspx

[Corsair1963]

Turkey's opposition strikes blow to Erdogan with Istanbul mayoral win

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey’s opposition has dealt President Tayyip Erdogan a stinging blow by winning control of Istanbul in a re-run mayoral election, breaking his aura of invincibility and delivering a message from voters unhappy over his policies.

Ekrem Imamoglu of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) secured 54.21% of votes, according to state-owned Anadolu news agency - a far wider victory margin than his narrow win three months ago.

The previous result was annulled after protests from Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted AK Party, which said there had been widespread voting irregularities. The decision to re-run the vote was criticised by Western allies and caused uproar among domestic opponents who said Turkey’s democracy was under threat.

On Sunday, tens of thousands of Imamoglu supporters celebrated in the streets of Istanbul after the former businessman triumphed over Erdogan’s handpicked candidate by almost 800,000 votes.

“In this city today, you have fixed democracy. Thank you Istanbul,” Imamoglu told supporters who made heart signs with their hands, in an expression of the inclusive election rhetoric that has been the hallmark of his campaigning.

“We came to embrace everyone,” Imamoglu said. “We will build democracy in this city, we will build justice. In this beautiful city, I promise, we will build the future.”

The High Electoral Board has yet to announce the formal results, but Erdogan has already congratulated Imamoglu for his victory and Imamoglu’s rival, Binali Yildirim, of the ruling AK Party wished him luck as mayor barely two hours after polls closed.

WANING SUPPORT

Erdogan has ruled Turkey since 2003, first as prime minister and then as president, becoming the country’s most dominant politician since its founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, nearly a century ago.

His AK Party has strong support among pious and conservative Turks and its stewardship of Turkey’s economy through a decade and a half of construction-fuelled growth helped Erdogan win more than a dozen national and local elections.

But economic recession and a financial crisis have eroded that support, and Erdogan’s ever-tighter control over government has alarmed some voters.

Turkey’s lira tumbled after the decision to annul the March vote and is down 8% this year in part on election jitters. It firmed to 5.72 overnight from Friday’s close of 5.8140 but eased back to 5.7750 by 0500 GMT.

Imamoglu won support even in the traditionally pious Istanbul districts, once known as AK Party strongholds, ending the 25-year-long Islamist rule in the country’s largest city.

“This re-run (election) was one to put an end to the dictatorship,” said Gulcan Demirkaya, a 48-year-old housewife in Istanbul’s AKP-leaning Kagithane district. “God willing, I would like to see him as the president in five years’ time. The one-man rule should come to an end.”

The results are likely to trigger a new chapter in Turkish politics, with the country’s top three cities now held by the opposition, and could trigger cracks within Erdogan’s AK Party, while bringing the economic troubles more to the centre.

“This is definitely going to have an impact on the future of Turkish politics given the margin of victory. It’s alarming sign for the AKP establishment,” said Sinan Ulgen, visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe in Brussels and former Turkish diplomat.

Analysts say the loss could set off a Cabinet reshuffle in Ankara and adjustments to foreign policy. It could even trigger a national election earlier than 2023 as scheduled, although the leader of the AKP’s nationalist ally played down that prospect.

“Turkey should now return to its real agenda, the election process should close,” MHP party leader Devlet Bahceli said. “Talking of an early election would be among the worst things that can be done to our country.”

The uncertainty over the fate of Istanbul and potential delays in broader economic reforms have kept financial markets on edge. Threats of sanctions by the United States if Erdogan goes ahead with plans to install Russian missile defences have also weighed on the markets.

Source: https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-turke ... 8?rpc=401&

[mixelflick]

Why aren't they thinking about this logically?

Buying the S-400 only gets them a defensive weapons system. With the F-35, they're getting an offensive AND defensive weapons system, to say nothing about its ISR capabilities. Something isn't right. I know people have cited "politics" but there's something more to this that must explain it.

Saving face, the same way the F-35 got put on the back burner in Canada?

[marsavian]

They are thinking logically, S-400 protects them against Iranian/Israeli ballistic missiles as well as hopefully against Israeli F-35.

[popcorn]

... as well as hopefully against Israeli F-35.

Either they weren't paying attention when they got briefed on the F-35 or thought that they were being lied to when they were Informed the F-35 is specifically designed to counter the S-400.

[marsavian]

They consider ballistic missiles the more existential threat.

[botsing]

They consider ballistic missiles the more existential threat.

Got any reliable sources for this factoid? Or is it just your personal opinion?

[carlos_a]

With all respect, I can´t understand this. Some time ago, Turkey downed a russian plane and they seemed at the edge of a confrontation. And now they are best friends? What is the logic of this?

[operaaperta]

U.S. aerospace manufacturer throws in towel on Turkey operations

U.S. aerospace manufacturer Pratt & Whitney has pulled the plug on its Turkey operations, citing problems in production quality, aviation news site Airport Haber reported on Saturday.

The decision arrives amid increasing tensions on the site of the Turkish Engine Center (TEC), it said.

[...]

Source: https://ahvalnews.com/foreign-investmen ... operations

[polarbear]

... as well as hopefully against Israeli F-35.

Either they weren't paying attention when they got briefed on the F-35 or thought that they were being lied to when they were Informed the F-35 is specifically designed to counter the S-400.

Political implications aside, s-400 costs a lot. Turkish army would not spend that much money unless the system has proven itself on battlefield. Nobody is talking in favor of f-35. Army seems to be solidly convinced about f-35 being a dud, with the kind of conviction arising when presented with undeniable evidence. So I will not be suprised if a team of turkish experts has witnessed operation of the complex at Khmeimim base before the final decision was made.

In the end, S-400 batteries will be arriving next month and we will produce our own bird and missiles in near future. We are greatly indebted to Shanahan, for it is his letter which solidified floundering political support behind these projects.

[vilters]

Well, some things are easy to understand, others not so.

So? The Kurds have ballistic missiles and Turkey has to defend itself?
But the Kurds don't have an Airforce, so F-35 is not so important at all? OK.

What you guys need are rocks, brooms and other sticks.
Oh, and I forgot, some anti- rusty Toyota powder.

[SpudmanWP]

Where has the S-400 "proven" itself in battle?

[spazsinbad]

QUALITY comment from a 'turkey': viewtopic.php?f=22&t=55446&p=421709&hilit=general+Turkey#p421709

Does Turkey really want the F-35 fighter jets?
12 Jun 2019 Nedret Ersanel

“The F-35 fighter jets are not as strategic as the S-400s. Their performance in aerial operations is 60 percent, their rate of meeting the performance expected of them for all tasks is 27 percent. Also, they are under U.S. control and can easily be manipulated. Furthermore, these aircraft are very expensive. Their maintenance and operation are quite difficult. Their useful load, bomb-missile carry capacity is inadequate. We met with the air forces personnel as well. I also think they are bulky aircraft. F-35 will not add anything to Turkey, but it is extremely important for the U.S.” [“Hakurk ile Kandil bağı kesilecek” (Hakurk’s Qandil ties will be severed), June 10, Hürriyet.]

"Former [I wonder why?] General Staff Chief of Intelligence and retired Lt. Gen. İsmail Hakkı Pekin’s “bolded” words require extra attention.... [can oath]

Source: https://www.yenisafak.com/en/columns/ne ... ts-2047065