Turkey to purchase two F-35 fighters

Turkey has committed to buying two F-35 fighter jets, a government agency said Thursday.

The decision to purchase the F-35 planes, announced by Turkish Defense Industries Undersecretary Murad Bayar Thursday, is another positive sign for Lockheed Martin's F-35 program, which is a ripe target for Pentagon budget cuts.

Turkish officials said the decision to purchase the F-35s came after a meeting with defense officials and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The initial purchase is part of a plan to eventually buy 100 F-35 planes.

Turkey’s announcement comes after Japan agreed last month to make the F-35 its next-generation fighter jet.

Turkey also is planning to purchase 15 helicopters from Bell Helicopter.

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