Turkey may buy Russian jets if US F-16 deal fails: Report

Reports claim Turkey may purchase Russian fighter jets if Erdogan's regime fails to procure US F-16 fighters.

Russia's TASS news agency quoting the head of Turkey’s defence industry Ismail Demir reported that "Turkey won’t be left without alternatives".

Also Read:  Erdogan in talks with US to buy F-16 fighter jets after row over F-35 deal

The news agency quoted Demir declaring that the "issue of Su-35 and Su-57 planes may surface again at any time" if the US F-16 deal does not go through.

The former Trump administration had denied F-35 fighter jets to the Erdogan regime in 2019 after Ankara purchased S-400 missile defence system from Russia. 

Watch: Turkey to buy Russian S-400 missiles

President Erdogan on Sunday had said the Biden administration may sell F-16 fighter jets instead of the F-35 fighter jets. News agency Reuters had said Turkey had reportedly requested for 40 F-16 fighter jets.

"We have said we'll take whatever step is needed to meet our country's defence needs," Erdogan had said on Sunday.

Also Read | Don't expect Turkey to take different step on F-35 & S-400: Erdogan to Biden

Erdogan had declared he was interested in buying another batch of S-400 missiles from Russia even as the US jet deal had run into trouble earlier. 

Erdogan however said that talks were underway with US officials over the F-16 deal including  "modernisation of the F-16s" and "possession" of new additional F-16s.

Also Read: Explained: Russian S-400 air defence missile system

Turkey had sought compensation for being excluded in the US fighter jet deal and had asked the US government to pay $1.4 billion as it had paid the amount before it was removed.

(With inputs from Agencies)