The United States is considering a sale of General Electric F110 fighter-jet engines worth more than $700 million [1] to Turkey.

This potential agreement would provide the critical propulsion needed for the KAAN, Turkey's domestic fifth-generation fighter-jet program. The deal arrives as Turkey seeks greater strategic autonomy following its previous dispute over the F-35 program, while the U.S. looks to bolster overall NATO air capabilities.

Discussions regarding the engine package are coinciding with President Donald Trump's visit to Ankara for the NATO summit [2]. The proposed deal involves the acquisition of dozens of F110 engines [3] to power the aircraft during its development and initial production phases.

Turkey is attempting to join an elite group of nations capable of producing such advanced aircraft. Only four countries have successfully built and flown a fifth-generation fighter jet before Turkey [4].

Analysts said that the visit by President Trump could help secure the acquisition of the engines [2]. However, some observers said that while the engine deal may move forward, it is unlikely to resolve the deeper diplomatic tensions surrounding the F-35 dispute [2].

The sale would represent a significant commercial opportunity for General Electric and the broader U.S. defense industry [5]. By integrating American engine technology into the KAAN, the U.S. maintains a technical link to Turkey's most ambitious aerospace project, while supporting a key NATO ally's modernization efforts [5].

“The United States is weighing a sale of General Electric F110 fighter-jet engines worth more than $700 million.”

The potential sale of F110 engines signifies a pragmatic shift in U.S.-Turkey relations, decoupling specific hardware sales from the broader F-35 political impasse. For Turkey, the KAAN program is a bid for military independence, reducing its reliance on foreign airframes. For the U.S., supporting the project ensures that Turkey's next-generation fleet remains compatible with NATO standards and dependent on American propulsion technology.