In an effort to find trading partners and with the possibility of a hard Brexit increasing over time, the UK informally strengthens its trade relations with Turkey even though Turkey is formally bound by a trade deal with the EU that does not allow it to enter into a trade deal with the UK.
In the defence sector, and in the field of military-technological cooperation, this UK-Turkey partnership may be informal, but it is becoming increasingly wide.
More specifically, we refer to the UK’s support for Turkey to complete the domestically built 5th generation aircraft titled TF-X (Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI)).
Turkey, for its part, has a broad military industry and has several technological achievements to show in the military field. It also has a national space program running which so far includes the implementation of experimental micro-satellite launch vehicles.
British Aerospace Electronic (BAE) Systems has assisted Turkey in the design of TF-X while providing advisory support. In addition, there is an agreement between BAE Systems and TAI’s for TF-X engine to be Rolls-Royce.
This is a matte move for the British as with the agreement with TF-X they succeed in shifting a significant part of the design project to the Turks without spending funds on it, but being able to finally obtain the final result of the development and integration of TF-X for themselves.
At the same time, the UK will have access to all Turkish technological developments. Then, once the design, development and implementation of the TF-X is achieved at Turkey’s expense, the UK will be able to build its own 5th-6th generation aircraft fighter titled Tempest.
In March 2019, Rolls-Royce withdrew from the Turkish project and now the new TF-X engine will be based on the American engine of General Electric F110 belonging to the TRM consortium. But the main partner of Turkish Aerospace Industries will be BAE Systems.
At the same time, and on 16 November 2020, a joint exercise of British and Turkish fighters took place on a Turkish base.
