People need to understand Turkey will either need to buy a multi-role jet NOW - or shift it's airforce operating doctorine for the next 20 years.
The Su57 (a BEAUTIFUL bird, i'm in love with the design TBH) is not production ready. If Turkey decided to setup shop for it's production AND started re-designing critical components so it will be basically a NATO compliant plane, that would take around 2 to 4 years in the best case scenario.
So in 4 or so years we would be ready to start building the Su57 for our own - BUT the engine would still need to come from Russia, and Russia is still testing the new engine with no reports as of yet on where they stand on it's certification and mass production. But for the sake of argument, let's say while we're doing our part of this endeavor Russia finishes the engine and no other setbacks are introduced.
You have to also remember that this scenario includes Russia giving a NATO member, Turkey, ALL access to the plane including the right to modify it as she pleases. Russia's brand new 5th gen jet, the jewel of her eye! BUT - for the sake of the argument, let's also say that this somehow happens.
So in 4 years we're finally ready to start mass production and if we're lucky in 1 year we'll have half a squadron, in 2 years a full squadron. In total, only 1 squadron 6 years later.
So billions of dollars later, if EVERYTHING goes to plan, and nothing bad happens, Turkey can get one squadron of SU57's that will comply with her own systems in 6 years = 2025.
But it doesn't end there. We need capable multi-role planes to fill the void of F4's and the Su57 is geared more towards air superiority, so it still doesn't scratch our itch completely.
THEN there's the issue of not having VTOL and Turkey desperately trying to outclass her neighborhood by fitting 2 ships with around 20 or so VTOL capable 5th generation planes. Russia's SU57 will be of no help there - so we lose out on that too.
And remember, this is the best case scenario where everything goes smoothly, and papa bear says "sure, here's my top plane, go nuts with it".
All of this makes no sense. Look, I love the Su57 and I think it's an incredible plane on many fronts - but it makes NO sense for Turkey to even try and buy one.
And the worst part? The billions of dollars you sunk into the Su57 "Turkey" version is essentially of no use. You can't export the plane, you can't create a meaningful new version - and even if you somehow did, you still wouldn't be able to export THAT. It's just a huge pile of money and manpower wasted and thrown away.
I personally think we should ramp up production for the Hürjet with a Russian or maybe Chinese engine and use that plane as a stop gap measure instead. In the same timeframe, we'll have 4 - 5 times the number of SU57's on our hands that are cheaper to fly and maintain - while also furthering our own industry. It will more sense as a multi-role plane and it will serve as a stop-gap solution. Upgrade the engines to a capable ~20k lb one and you're basically on par with the Gripen.
I think this would work much better then going plane shopping for incredibly high amounts of money - then transforming those planes to fit your systems - THEN transforming how your airforce operates and maintains their birds so you can include this jet and end up with a squadron or two at best. Now you have incredibly high maintenance fee's with no export capability.
Nope, Hürjet is the way to go IMHO, the other options, while look good at first glance, will hamper us in the long run. Of course we need to speed up the jet engine and MMU projects immensely and ASAP - or the Hürjet won't make a difference either.
And finally, as impossible as it seems, we need to put high priority on developing VTOL capable engines (assuming we manage to create a proper jet engine first).
