KAAN receives American engines: what does this mean for Greece and the Aegean

The US Congress did not block the sale to Turkey F110 engines for the KAAN fighter. For Ankara, this is an important step in the program of its own fifth-generation aircraft.

Türkiye received an important signal from Washington: The US Congress did not block the sale American GE F110 engines for the first aircraft of the KAAN programwhich allows Ankara to continue working on its own fifth-generation fighter.

We are talking about the supply of engines General Electric F110which should be used on early and pre-production samples of the Turkish KAAN combat aircraft. According to Reutersthe Donald Trump administration notified Congress of its intention to sell aircraft engines to Turkey worth more than $700 million.

The official notification was sent on June 24. There is a 15-day review period for a NATO ally. An attempt by a group of Democrats to block the deal through a resolution of disapproval failed to reach a vote before the deadline. As a result, the sale can move forward without legal prohibition. Washington, as usual, beautifully explains this as a strategic partnership. Athens, as usual, must pretend not to hear the gnashing of teeth.

What exactly does Türkiye get?

Turkish pro-government outlets, including Hürriyet and Yeni Şafak, are touting the decision as a major success for Ankara and Trump’s “first gift” to Erdogan. According to them, we are talking about 20 F110 engines for pre-production KAAN models.

American trade publications and Reuters wrote about a broader package worth more than $700 million related to the supply of dozens of GE F110 engines and related support for the KAAN program. AeroTime notes that these engines should support the Turkish program while Ankara develops its own power unit.

This is an important detail. The KAAN is billed as Turkey’s national fifth-generation fighter, but is critically dependent on an American engine early on. That is, the plane is “national”, but the heart is still imported. In the defense industry this is called the transition phase. In politics, it’s a convenient excuse to talk about autonomy while the keys are still in Washington.

Why the F110 is so important to KAAN

The F110 engine is a proven American turbofan engine, known from the F-16 family of aircraft and a number of other platforms. For Turkey it is important not only as a component, but also as temporary solutionwhich allows us to continue testing, certification and preparation of pre-production KAAN aircraft.

Without engines, the program risked being stuck between fancy mock-ups, test flights, and no real production path. KAAN’s own Turkish engine is not yet ready for serial use. Therefore, permission to supply the F110 actually closes one of the most painful technical issues at the immediate stage.

As he writes FlightGlobalTürkiye is pursuing supplies of the F110 for the twin-engine KAAN, while a full local powerplant remains a goal for future years. And this is where the real politics comes in: whoever controls the engine controls the tempo of the program.

S-400 has not disappeared anywhere

The main political problem remains the same: Türkiye has not yet resolved the issue with the Russian S-400 systems. It was their purchase that led to Ankara’s exclusion from the F-35 program and CAATSA sanctions.

Athens News previously wrote that the United States and Türkiye discussed a possible agreement on the S-400 and F-35, but the issue remains extremely sensitive for Washington and Athens. Turkish media: US and Türkiye are close to agreement on S-400 and F-35.

Selling the F110 does not automatically mean Turkey will return to the F-35. Reuters explicitly notes that the engine deal is an important but limited step and does not resolve the larger F-35 dispute. Türkiye was excluded from the program after purchasing the S-400, and US law continues to restrict its return as long as Russian systems remain a risk.

But the political signal is clear: the Trump administration is ready to seek workarounds to restore defense ties with Ankara. Not just the F-35, but engines for KAAN. Not a door, but a window. Geopolitics in the style of an experienced burglar, only with press releases.

Who tried to block the deal

There was resistance in Congress. A group of Democrats led by Dina Titus introduced a resolution of disapproval to stop the shipment. Critics of the deal included Chris Pappas, Brad Sherman and Jim McGovern, politicians who have long opposed the unconditional lifting of restrictions on Turkey.

The complaints were as expected: the S-400, Turkey’s behavior in the region, pressure on Greece and Cyprus, actions in Syria, as well as concerns that Trump is actually bypassing the normal procedure for consultations with Congress. Reuters wrote that some lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of transparency and the administration’s attempt to push through the deal despite objections.

But it’s one thing to be outraged; it’s another thing to manage to gather political force and block the sale in a short 15-day period. This did not happen. As a result, the deal went through not because everyone agreed, but because the opponents were unable to stop the mechanism in time. Sometimes in politics it is not the argument that wins, but the calendar. A very worthy institute if you like deals on autopilot.

What does this mean for Greece

This is unpleasant news for Greece, not because tomorrow KAAN will appear en masse over the Aegean Sea. This won’t happen. The Turkish program still has a long way to go in testing, integration, certification, production, pilot training and maintenance.

The problem is different: Washington is actually helping Ankara maintain momentum in the project, which in the future should reduce Turkey’s dependence on Western fighters. If KAAN becomes a real platform, Türkiye will receive not just a new aircraft, but an industrial and political map: its own combat aviation project, export potential and an argument in negotiations with the United States and Europe.

Athens News recently wrote that violations by Turkish F-16s and interceptions by Greek aircraft were again recorded in the Aegean Sea. Turkish F-16s over the Aegean Sea: 10 violations and interception. Against this background, any strengthening of the Turkish aviation program is perceived in Athens not as abstract industrial news, but as part of the future balance of power.

Athens is in an awkward position again

Greece is actively investing in Rafale, upgraded F-16 Viper, frigates, air defense and future F-35. The Athens News wrote about the 12 major rearmament programs that Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke about at the NATO summit. 12 largest rearmament programs of the Greek Armed Forces.

But in geopolitics, procurement is only half the story. The second half is what allies do to your enemy. Athens buys American weapons, meets NATO goals, spends one of the highest shares of GDP in the alliance on defense, while Washington simultaneously opens up Turkey’s path to critical components for KAAN.

Athens News recently noted that Greece is among the top 5 NATO countries in defense spending and is already reaching the new target of 3.5% of GDP for basic defense. Greece entered NATO’s top 5 in defense spending. That is, Athens is paying dearly, but this does not guarantee that the allies will take into account Greek sensitivities regarding Turkey. It’s funny if you have a dark sense of humor and a NATO subscription.

KAAN – not tomorrow, but already a factor

Don’t overestimate the news. The KAAN is not yet a ready-made fifth-generation production fighter capable of immediately changing the balance. The first flight is not combat readiness. The pre-production batch is not a full-fledged squadron. The American engine is not Turkish autonomy.

But it should not be underestimated. Türkiye is consistently building its aviation industry: TAI, Baykar, drones, combat training aircraft, F-16 modernization, export contracts, and now KAAN. The F110 clearance gives the program time, pace and political oxygen.

This means that Athens will have to look not only at today’s Turkish F-16s, but also at Turkey’s industrial trajectory. The wars of the future are won not only by the number of aircraft in the parking lot, but also by those who know how to produce, modernize, maintain and sell them.

Main conclusion

The US Congress has not blocked the sale of F110 engines to Turkey, and this gives the KAAN program an important boost. For Ankara, this is a technical and political success: without these engines, early KAAN aircraft would have hung in the air before reaching the normal pre-production trajectory.

This is a wake-up call for Greece. Not because KAAN will become a massive threat tomorrow, but because the United States is beginning to carefully unfreeze defense ties with Turkey, bypassing the most toxic issues – S-400, CAATSA and F-35.

The Eastern Mediterranean is once again getting the familiar formula: Greece pays, Türkiye bargains, the US balances both, and NATO pretends it’s all one big happy family. In such a family, the main thing is not to sit with your back to the door and carefully count who received the engine today.

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