Turkey Wants Malaysia, Other Muslim Nations, to Joint its TF-X Fifth Generation Fighter Program

State owned defence company Turkish Aerospace Industries has invited Malaysia to joint the TF-X fifth generation fighter program which is currently under development, with CEO Temel Kotil announcing he was awaiting Kuala Lumpur's reply. The program appears similar to but less ambitious than the South Korean KF-X program, the latter which benefits from a defence sector with better funding and much more experience in military aviation. The TF-X is a light or medium weight twin engine platform which was initially intended as a cheaper complement to the American Lockheed Martin F-35A, and would have lower maintenance requirement and a lower operational cost than the imported jet. The fighter is set to rely heavily on foreign technologies, with Russia in late 2019 having agreed to support the program, but has been dubbed a ‘Muslim fighter’ in an attempt to market it abroad. Other Muslim states are currently being considered for invitation to the program, including Kazakhstan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Kotil noted regarding program that the TF-X “will be the first big fighter jet of the Muslims… building the aircraft first and then selling it is a modality. But we think it’s better if we take in partners at this stage.” Malaysia was also invited to become a partner for the Hurkus trainer and light attack aircraft. Malaysia is currently also considering offers from both Russia and Pakistan to provide modern fighter jets, with Kuala Lumpur showing interest in high end MiG-35, Su-35 and Su-57 next generation fighters. The Malaysian Air Force currently deploys the Su-30MKM, an advanced derivative of the Su-30 ‘4+ generation’ heavyweight fighter, as its most advanced combat platform. The future of the TF-X program appears highly uncertain, with Turkey’s ability to develop such a high tech aircraft highly questionable and its plans to jointly develop an engine with Britain’s Rolls Royce yet to be approved. For most potential partners, buying ‘off the shelf’ Russian fighters, or partnering in the Korean KF-X, could prove to be a better and more cost effective option. Turkey is itself is currently negotiating possible contracts for high end Russian fighters including the Su-35 and Su-57, with the TF-X expected to serve as a less capable and lighter counterpart.