The TAI – TF-X Stealth Fighter is a twin-engin all-weather Turkish aerial superiority fighter jet being developed by Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) with technological assistance from BAE Systems of the United Kingdom. The aircraft is slated to replace the Turkish Air Force’s F-16s and is being planned to be offered to foreign air forces as well. The project is one of many ongoing high-profile military projects in Turkey. During Theresa May’s visit to Turkey in January 2017, BAE and TAI officials signed an agreement, worth about £100 million, for BAE to provide assistance in developing the aircraft. The Turkish Air Force intends to procure at least 250 TFX starting from 2025 and integrate them in a network-centric Air Force structure consisting of F-35, F-16 Block 50+, Future Unmanned Combat Aircraft, Airborne Stand-Off Jammers and the Boeing 737 AEW&C Peace Eagle. Turkey plans to introduce the TFX by 2025, having it and the F-35A comprising a dual fighter jet fleet. The TFX is to compensate for some of the F-35’s weaknesses in air-to-air combat.
