U.S. official warns Turkey on F-35 deal over Russia systemPatricia Zengerle
3 MIN READ
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-turkey-fighterjets/u-s-official-warns-turkey-on-f-35-deal-over-russia-system-idUSKBN1JM2EMWASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top U.S. State Department official warned Turkey on Tuesday that its purchase of Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets would be jeopardized if it does not drop a plan to buy S-400 missile defense systems from Russia.
If it buys the system, Turkey would also be subject to sanctions under a bill President Donald Trump signed into law last summer, Wess Mitchell, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, testified in the Senate.
That sweeping sanctions law, known as CAATSA, seeks to punish companies that do business with Russia’s defense industry.
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Lockheed Martin held a ceremony last week to mark the “rollout” of the first F-35 jet for Turkey, but that aircraft was headed for Arizona, where F-35 training takes place.
Delivery of the jets into Turkey is not expected until next year.