Turkey expects to take delivery of its first Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets in 2019, Turkish Defence Industries Undersecretary Ismail Demir told broadcaster NTV on Monday.

That was reported by reuters.com.

Under the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, Turkey has committed to procure a total of 116 aircraft. Turkey placed its first Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets order in 2014 under its low-rate initial production 10 program.

Turkey’s procurement and military officials are hoping to build a new-generation, dual-fighter jet fleet by their country’s centennial, 2023, comprising of the F-35 and an indigenous aircraft, known as TFX, that Ankara has been designing.