Three F-35 Joint Strike Fighters (rear to front) AF-2, AF-3 and AF-4, can be seen flying over Edwards Air Force Base in this December 10, 2011 handout photo provided by Lockheed Martin. REUTERS/Lockheed Martin/Darin Russell/Handout

ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey expects to take delivery of the first two of a batch of 24 more Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft in 2018, Defence Minister Fikri Isik said on Thursday.

Isik said Turkey would buy a total of 24 F-35s over the next three years, of which six, including the two expected in 2018, had already been ordered.