According to information from TurDef on October 3, 2024, defense relations between Türkiye and the U.S. could take a significant turn with the potential sale of F-15 fighter jets to Ankara. When asked about the possibility of Türkiye acquiring Boeing F-15C Eagle or F-15EX Eagle II fighters, U.S. sources expressed openness to the idea, stating, “We would love to sell our jets to Türkiye.” However, the same sources clarified that no meetings or official requests have taken place regarding the potential sale of F-15s.
Interest in the F-15s has emerged as Türkiye explores alternatives to its previous plans to acquire Russian fighter jets and its more recent focus on the Eurofighter Typhoon, a deal supported by the United Kingdom. However, reports indicate that Germany, a partner in the Eurofighter program, may oppose the acquisition behind the scenes, raising concerns that the deal could fail. In such a scenario, the F-15s could become a viable option for Türkiye.
While the U.S. is open to the sale of these aircraft, any such transaction would likely be contingent on resolving the ongoing issue surrounding the S-400 air defense system, which Türkiye purchased from Russia in 2019. This acquisition led to the imposition of CAATSA (Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act) sanctions and Türkiye’s removal from the F-35 program. Under U.S. law, specifically the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021 and Section 1241 of CAATSA, sanctions can only be lifted if Türkiye relinquishes the S-400 systems, removes Russian personnel involved in their maintenance, and guarantees that it will not attempt to reacquire them in the future. Without these assurances, progress in negotiations for F-15 sales would remain stalled.