Turkish Air Force

Turkish F-16 warplanes will fly over the country's capital Ankara on Monday to test its new Russian S-400 missile defenses, Turkish media said, despite pressure from Washington for Turkey to drop the system. 

As Turkish jets continued to violate Greek air space over the Aegean Tuesday, Greek defense sources played down reports that Turkey's Defense Minister Hulusi Akar flew over the Aegean Sea in a jet trainer.

Turkish and U.S. defense chiefs exchanged views on Syria and the F-35 fighter jet project on June 26, according to a statement from Turkey's National Defense Ministry.         

The mockup of Turkey's first national combat jet- the Turkish Aerospace Industries' (TAI)-developed TF-X made debut on June 18 in the Paris Air Show, the largest aerospace-industry event in the world.

The United States is seriously considering suspending training for Turkish pilots on advanced F-35 fighter jets as Ankara moves ahead with plans to purchase a Russian missile defense system despite objections from Washington, sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said he sees an improvement in talks with the United States over the purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems and U.S. F-35 fighter jets.

A pair of Turkish Air Force F-16s violated Greek air space on Monday, flying over the eastern Aegean island cluster of Oinousses.
The jets passed over Oinousses at 15.55 p.m. at an altitude of 27,000 feet, according to Greek defense officials.

Ankara is digging in its heels on the procurement of super-advanced Russian S-400 surface-to-air missile systems and has declared that it is determined to go ahead with the receipt of the first batch in July and that the system will be used to shield the Aegean and several other areas.

A pair of Turkish Air Force F-16s violated Greek air space on Tuesday, flying over the eastern Aegean island cluster of Oinousses.

A Turkish fighter pilot has carried out the first flight of the F-35 jet in the U.S. as part of ongoing training, the Turkish General Staff said on Tuesday.