US officials have officially announced that they have stopped supplying F-35 fighter aircraft parts to Turkey due to Ankara's decision to move forward with the purchase of the Russian surface-to-air missile system (S-400).
The delivery of parts and manuals necessary to prepare the planned delivery of the aircraft during this summer will therefore be blocked.
The US decision comes just days after the Turkish foreign minister said his country was continuing to buy the Russian system and was already discussing delivery dates.
During a hearing on Capitol Hill last month, US General Curtis Scaparrotti, NATO's chief general, said his advice would be that the United States not partner with an ally that is acquiring Russian systems that may threaten one of the capabilities. most advanced in the US Army. Officials also expressed concern that Turkey's acquisition of US and Russian systems could allow Moscow access to sophisticated American technologies to detect and counter the F-35.
The United States has agreed to sell 100 of its latest fifth-generation F-35 fighters to Turkey, planning to deliver the first two aircraft to Turkey in June this year.
American officials themselves said that while Washington continues to talk to Turkey about the matter, the Pentagon has already begun to take steps to find other sources of supply for Turkey-made parts of the F-35. The department, an official said, is taking steps to protect the supply chain and shared investments in aviation technology.
Pentagon leaders have warned that ending Turkey's participation in production would probably have forced other allies to take on that role and could delay the delivery of aircraft. Many estimate at least three months late.
US leaders offered Turkey to buy an air defense battery manufactured in America, and in December the State Department approved the sale of the US Patriot system from 3,5 billion dollars to Ankara. A reduced price whose offer expired at the end of March.
The Turkish Foreign Minister, at the expiry of the American offer, said that his country is committed to buying the Russian missile defense system.
Speaking at a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, in the Mediterranean coastal city of Antalya, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu ruled out the possibility that Turkey sells S-400 in another country as suggested by some analysts such as compromise solution with the Russians.
“In principle, says the Turkish foreign minister, it is against international law for a third country to oppose an agreement between two countries. We are committed to respecting this agreement, there can be no sale in a third country and we buy them only for our defensive needs ".
Cavusoglu also insisted that Turkey would fulfill all its obligations relating to the F-35 program.