File photo: An F-16, below, escorting two F-35 jets, above, after arriving the latter arrived at Hill Air Force Base in Utah. FILE IMAGE: Rick Bowmer/AP
On May 3, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said that Washington has “serious concerns about Turkey’s potential acquisition” of the S-400 anti-aircraft systems that are planned to deliver from Russia.
“Under NATO and under the NATO agreement, which of course, Turkey is a NATO member, you’re only supposed to buy, they are only supposed to buy, weapons and other materiel that are interoperable with other NATO partners. We don’t see that as being interoperable,” Nauert said during a press briefing.
The notion of halting weapons sales has been put forward in the proposed US National Defense Authorization Act. If the act becomes a law, it will force the US Department of Defense to provide Congress with a report on the military cooperation between the US and Turkey and will block weapons sales to Turkey.
Turkey plans to buy more than 100 of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets, and is also in talks with Washington over the purchase of Patriot missiles. These contracts will be frozen in this case.
The S-400 deal between Turkey and Russia was signed in December, 2017. The delivery of S-400 systems to Turkey is scheduled to start in 2020. However, in March Moscow stated its readiness to speed up the process.
It should be noted that Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu stressed that Ankara would retaliate if Washington stops the sale of US weapons over Turkish-Russian military hardware deals.
“If the United States imposes sanctions on us or takes such a step, Turkey will absolutely retaliate,” Cavusoglu said. “What needs to be done is the U.S. needs to let go of this.”
Cavusoglu pointed out that the US sanctions would be “wrong” and “illogical” and Washington “should give up this approach”.
“Turkey is not a country under your orders, it is an independent country… speaking to such a country from above, dictating what it can and cannot buy, is not a correct approach and does not fit our alliance,” Cavusoglu said, referring to the fact that both countries are members of NATO.
The hotly discussed Turkey-Russia deal signals closer relations between both powers, as well as a growing rift between Ankara and Washington.
seems like win-win scenario for Turkey, they bought modern russian PVO systems S400 and they will not pay 100 ordered hangar queens F35 “nearly” ready for combat missions. I mean 12 years behind the schedule and still not finished and troubled with terrible problems.
F-35 is years long finished. the pak is delaying, you hater! the pilots of the “bestest” chopper could talk with you about russians niveau.
What 100. do you even know how much 100 of those cost , the US sells them for 150,000,000$ each man. The US itself have produced only 280 of them, so what is your calculation.
Turkey had ordered 115 F-35’s as a Level 3 Partner in the JSF program. It then realised it would be better to spend the $13 billion for 100 F-35’s on further development of the Turkish Aerospace Industries TF-X with either BAE Systems of the United Kingdom or Rostec of Russia. Turkey has already allocated $20 billion on development of the TF-X. If it adds another $13 billion it would have a formidable platform. The only issue then was how to get out of the JSF program without paying Lockheed Martin $13 billion in breach of contract damages.
The talk of sanctions is now a blessing for Turkey.
It provide Erdogan a just cause to inches further away from unhealthy relationship with the USA.
Hopefully this will create another rift between USA and Turkey.Having rifts between USA and their allies ME can help Syria
US will never freeze weapons to Turkey. They are NATO and our biggest allies against Syria. Edrdohan just like to play friendly because he can achieve more that way. He is still providing arm and training to ISIS and rebels. He was probably drinking with Netanyahu and Trump last night.
If they don’t want Turkish money, we can give it to Russians .I hope we won’t have to buy those F 35s.
We already did dude. Turkey had 3 fighter parallel fighter programs. The F-35, the Turkish Aerospace Industries TF-X and a VTOL Russia-Turkey co-developed fighter.
Now that the F-35 is off the table- Turkey will spend the spare $13 billion on more TF-X.
Wow, butt-hurt much NATO? Must be pissed-off that their friends in the MIC are missing out on profits. Besides, shouldn’t they be happy a NATO member is buying Russia’s most advanced SAM system? Because then they could study it and test themselves against it.
I’m still very much opposed to Russia selling Turkey any weapons, but at least it might help derail the shitty F-35 by reducing the purchase numbers (thus increasing costs for the idiots who buy them).
Threatening to freeze export-sales of vastly over-priced F-35s and vastly under-performing Patriot batteries – could just prove a lucky escape for Turkey. US needs Turkey more that Turkey needs US – the territory straddles central Asia, middle east and European continent.
Its a blessing for Turkey!
My first thought when I saw the headline was “we’re still selling them weapons after they attacked our allies?” Then I was reading the article and thought “if they don’t buy weapons from us, they’ll buy them from Russia.”
I think that saying that Syria is a complicated battlefield is putting it far to mildly.
Turkey has desperately tried to get out of the JSF program for a long time now but did not want to pay $10 billion in breach of contract damages to Lockheed Martin. Hence, US sanctions would be a blessing for Turkey .
Turkey has allocated $20 billion on its own TAI TF-X Air-superiority fighter program. If it poured in another $10 billion it could double the number of TF-X it produces and still have a formidable alternative to the F-35.
Both Russia’s Sukhoi and Britain’s BAE Systems are also supporting Turkey’s TF-X program.
Turkey also already has the production infrastructure to develop a 5th Generation Fighter because Lockheed Martin has provided them with high tech technology to licence produce important components of the F-35 in Turkey.
In brief, Turkey and Russia will be the big winner after US sanctions.
Smart move from Turkey. What can other countries do to get out of the F35 scam. And save a pretty penny.
hope for sanctions. Otherwise they will pay breach of contract damages to Lockheed Martin.
AND TURKEY RESPONDS: Russia and Turkey have agreed to co-develop new combat aircraft and helicopters. https://www.fort-russ.com/2018/05/hand-in-hand-russia-and-turkey-make-the-first-turkish-fighter-jet/
your source is more fake than msm
Oh I see you need more sources…preferably from Western media… https://www.defensenews.com/industry/techwatch/2018/05/02/turkeys-fighter-jet-program-races-ahead-as-russian-firm-reveals-interest/
https://ahvalnews.com/turkey-defence/russians-want-help-develop-first-turkish-fighter-jet
http://www.defenseworld.net/news/22462/Russia_Offers_To_Develop_Engine_For_Turkey___s_Indigenous_Fighter_Aircraft#.WvEa0i-B1sM
Turkey-Russia Defence ties are not limited to the S-400.
The US sought to prevent the Turkish Aircraft Carrier (TCG Anadolu) from fielding a VTOL fighter aircraft. What did Turkey do? Go to the source of the technology that resulted in the F-35B.
Lockheed Martin developed the VTOL version of the F-35 using technology it had obtained form the Yakovlev Yak-141.
I dont trust msms, too.
be sure, this are plans and will not realised.
Russia will do anything to cut Turkey off from NATO. The S-400’s are due in Turkey in June 2019. Not that long for you yo wait and see.
Look, russians know exactly, that turkey will not leave nato. And after this statement everything is only shitchewing.
That was the old Turkey. President Erdogan has purged 150,000 NATO trained or connected officials after the coup attempt on 15 July. Individuals having even the slightest connection to the West have either lost their positions, been charged and imprisoned or fled overseas. The new Turkey favours a truly independent Turkey that is equidistant to East and West. As such NATO membership is now expendable in the new Turkey.
There is no old Turkey.
You obviously have not been following Turkish affairs. Turkey is now a Presidential Republic as opposed to a Parliamentary Republic.
and i wrote about that russian address, that is fake source. in general.
Thanks, i will check them.
Yes, you’re damn right.. even it looks exactly like the Yak-141only difference is.. the Yak-141 are immune to birds..!
Ok Under NATO and under the NATO agreement, which of course, Turkey is a NATO member, you’re only supposed to buy, they are only supposed to buy, weapons and other materiel that are interoperable with other NATO partners. We don’t see that as being interoperable,” so please Nauert explain to the world how Greece a NATO member state obtain a deal with Russia and got S-300. Can you tell that to your press. Bitch.
More like with S400 US cannot attack Turkey anymore