SU-57 serial production has been delayed until 2020, so realistically we could acquire them in the next few years. Both F35 and SU-57 do have issues. Many F-35s have fallen out of the sky. SU-57s design may need a more tweeks. Regardless, I'd personally prefer the SU-57 as it's built for a clear purpose (air superiority) while still maintaining the ability to hit ground and naval targets. Meanwhile the F35 is trying to do everything yet doesn't really excel at anything. It's not a good fighter or bomber. I admit. It looks sleek and I'd love for us to have the naval variant. However I'd say the SU-57 is a different league. It's supposed to complete with the F22, don't forget that.
Now to address your distrust of Russia. If Ataturk lived another 10 years then I am confident that we would have had our own fighter jets today. We would be a fully independent superpower. However as we know Menderes had made us reliant on the USA and closed down our plane factories.
Now I'm not a diehard fan of Russia. However we need to work with them for several key reasons.
- America is literally funding and protecting our enemies in Syria
- Russia needs allies. We are in a second cold war. Russia knows that it needs allies in order to stand up against western aggression. Because of this they would make for much better partners than America.
- Partnership with Russia means that our Turkic brothers both in Russia and in central Asia are better off. The west is powerful because they have made peace with each other and therefore can focus on working together for their own benefits. If you are at war with your neighbors then you are doomed. A Eurasian union would be a game changer.
- If we want to speed up our defense projects then cooperation with Russia would be beneficial because of they are willing and able to provide technology transfers. Trust me they won't waste our time like the west.
This is just my unbiased opinion. You talk about how we had wars with Russia. That is true. However we need to work with them if we are to succeed. Don't forget that a large portion of Russia's population is Turkic and even their Defense ministry is a Tuvan Turk. Together we work for our mutual benefit instead of being treated like shit by the same people who want tl establish k*rdistan.
Russia needs us and we need them.
When people think of warrior nations they always think of Russians and Turks. Imagine what an alliance between the two can achieve.
Edit: Okay I might be wrong about serial production. SU-57s might take ages...
Edit 2: Russia just offered us SU-35s. Russia is eagar to pull us in just as I said. They're desperate for new allies. Thag being said SU-35s aren't an alternative to F35s....