Turkey is preparing to sign three key documents before the end of this year to formally take part in the production phase of the U.S.-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), which Ankara is planning to acquire as its Air Force's new-generation fighter aircraft.

Turkey is considering purchasing at least 100 F-35s worth more than $10 billion over the next 20 years. In a first step, Turkey's defense authorities are shortly expected to sign an agreement with Lockheed Martin, the F-35's lead manufacturer and the world's largest defense company, for local industry participation in the aircraft's production, officials said. Then at some point in December, Turkey is to sign a memorandum of understanding with the United States and Lockheed Martin that will officially make Ankara a member of the program's production phase.

The Turkish and U.S. governments also are due to sign a bilateral agreement for the deal. Turkey will be one of the nine signatories of the memorandum of understanding. In addition to the United States, which will eventually buy more than 70 percent of the F-35s to be manufactured over the next 20 years, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Denmark and Norway also are due to take part in the JSF's production phase. The Netherlands last week became the first member to sign the memorandum of understanding.

Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül confirmed during a visit here in late October that Turkey had selected the F-35 JSF over a rival European offer for the Eurofighter Typhoon. But he also said that Turkey was working to raise its local industrial share in the JSF program to more than $5 billion. The final Turkish work share has not been officially announced. Turkish procurement officials said they earlier in the year had secured the manufacture of the center fuselage for 400 F-35s, worth $1.85 billion in 2002 prices, by Turkey's Tusas Aerospace Industry (TAI). In today's prices the figure is close to $2.5 billion. Several other Turkish companies are also due to be involved in the production phase.

In the Pengaton's largest contract in history, worth more than $280 billion, over 3,000 F-35 Lightning II aircraft are planned to be produced eventually, with the United States buying around 2,400. The new-generation fighters are planned to replace the Turkish Air Force's present fleet of older F-16s and Vietnam War-era F-4Es.

Israel, Singapore and South Korea also are interested in buying the F-35; however, these countries may purchase the aircraft under bilateral deals with the United States, not as part of the nine-nation production group.

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