Turkey‘s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is planning a multi-billion dollar deal with the US to supply hundreds of Boeing aircraft and Lockheed Martin fighters, while claiming the right to produce some of the parts in Turkey.

According to information cited by Bloomberg, Ankara wants to offset payments of more than $10 billion with industrial co-production contracts, which, however, require the approval of US President Donald Trump. The Turkish president will be at the White House on Thursday for a crucial meeting in an attempt to repair strained relations after the purchase of Russia’s S-400 system.

The S-400 “shadow” and the F-35 blockade

The purchase of the Russian missiles had led to a stalemate in relations with Washington, which imposed CAATSA sanctions on Turkey’s defence sector and excluded the country from the F-35 development program. Although Ankara refuses to give up the S-400, it hopes Trump will agree to an amendment to the sanctions, paving the way for the acquisition of 40 F-35A fighters.

Erdogan said yesterday, moreover, that he will negotiate the acquisition of F-35 fighter jets when he meets his US counterpart Donald Trump this week.

Speaking on Fox News’ “Special Report,” Erdogan was asked if he was looking forward to a green light for the F-35 acquisition during his visit to Washington, where he will meet with Trump on Thursday.

“At this stage we will negotiate again on this issue. We expect that the US will also do what it has to do – both on the F-35 and on the issue of the F-16 and its production and maintenance,” the Turkish president said.

Such a development could also lift the suspension of cooperation with 10 Turkish companies that were to manufacture F-35 components, with an estimated production volume of $12 billion. Among them, Turkish Aerospace Industries, which had been contracted to produce the central fuselage section.

Agreement on new F-16s and equipment packages

Meanwhile, Ankara is seeking to complete the purchase of 40 latest-generation F-16 Vipers, along with hundreds of missiles, bombs and spare engines. Washington had approved the sale last year after Turkey ratified Sweden’s membership of NATO. Initially, the plan called for 79 upgrade kits for existing F-16s at a total cost of $23 billion, but Ankara is reportedly turning again to acquiring F-35s.

Turkey currently has about 240 F-16 fighters, the world’s second largest fleet after the US. The procurement of new aircraft will allow for the gradual retirement of the older F-4s until the indigenous Kaan fighter is deployed.

Ankara is also seeking US permission to procure and assemble GE Aerospace’s F110 and F404 engines, which are used in both US fighters and the Turkish Kaan and Hurjet programs. So far, Washington has not responded to the request, which could accelerate production of US engines given increased international demand.