Turkey advances domestic fifth-gen fighter program as F-35 exclusion persists

Turkey is leveraging its removal from the US F-35 program to accelerate development of a fully indigenous fifth-generation fighter, aiming to join the exclusive club of nations with such capability. The program's progress is uncertain, with no confirmed timeline or successful prototype flight, but it represents a strategic shift toward defense self-sufficiency. This matters as it could alter regional military balances and reduce Turkey's reliance on Western defense systems.