As US-Turkey ties continue their downward spiral, with both sides engaging in a tit-for-tat of sanctions and tariffs after Ankara refused to release an American pastor detained on terrorism charges, Turkey’s future in the F-35 program is being held hostage.
US President Donald Trump recently signed into law a defense spending bill that blocks the transfer of the fifth-generation fighter jet to Turkey. The legislation came just weeks after the first F-35 aircraft was delivered into Turkish possession, though the jet will remain on US soil for a training program.
While some lawmakers have brought up the case of the detained US citizen as one reason to hold up the F-35 transfer, the main concern cited by Congress was Ankara’s decision to purchase the advanced Russian S-400 missile defense system.
US Defense Secretary James Mattis has lobbied Congress to allow Turkey to remain in the program. An analysis published by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute on Tuesday explained why Mattis is concerned and why cutting Turkey out of the consortium will cause headaches for Australia and other participants.
“If Turkey is excluded from the JSF program, it would in turn cease providing components to the [F-35 Joint Strike Fighter] production line. That’s why Secretary of Defense James Mattis opposed the proposal, arguing in a letter to Congress that, ‘If the Turkish supply chain was disrupted today, it would result in an aircraft production break, delaying delivery of 50–75 F-35s, and would take approximately 18–24 months to re-source parts and recover,’” Marcus Hellyer wrote.
He added that Australia’s air force is on a tight timeline to get up and running with 33 F-35s within the next three years, and a two-year production delay would derail those plans.
Turkey was also assigned responsibility for engine deep maintenance in Europe, according to Hellyer, highlighting the degree of interdependence among the consortium members.
At the same time, Australia shares the US concerns about Turkey’s purchase of the Russian missile defense system.
“The JSF was designed to defeat high-end Russian air-defense systems such as the S-400. Russia will be very anxious to understand the JSF’s electromagnetic signatures, in particular, its radar profile. […]The Russian technicians who will be assisting the Turks to introduce and operate the S-400 will no doubt be collecting JSF signature data that can be used to develop tactics to defeat it,” Hellyer speculated in the article.
“In a ‘normal’ world one would expect the flow of information to go in the other direction, with Turkey sharing key signature and performance data on the S-400 with other NATO members. But when a NATO member is planning to acquire Russian air-defense systems, we’re not in a normal world anymore—not to mention Erdoğan’s threats to find new and different allies.”
Turkey buying S-400 is just them choosing the best SAM system out there!
Just compare with the Patriot system that US wants Turkey to buy!!
S-400 has better radars, better range and will soon be able to be a part of a S-300, 400, 500 combination that can even shoot down satellites and ICBM’s so it’s a big difference!!
Arthur Micol
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Technical details of S400 will go to NATO and of f35 to Russia. It z good for both. But in case of Turkey it z only political case.
Nice copy/paste piece of "journalism".
THIS IS EXACTLLY WHAT I THOUGHT MIGHT HAPPEN AND THE IGNORANT US. NEOCON S WHO ARE TRUMPS ADVISERS DO NOT UNDERSTANT INTERNATIONAL JOINT MANUFACTURING .WHAT GEN MATTIS SAID IS CORRECT .AND WOULD SHUT DOWN THE PRODUCTION OF F35S AND JEOPRADISE THE WHOLE ENDEVER.
General Mattis is thinking about his retirement fund and consulting work from Turkey and not the American security. Remember Michael Flynn?
The current Turkish government is Islamic and antithetical to all what America and the west stand for.
Cancel the sale of F35 to Turkey. Source material from somewhere else and build new supply chains for parts and servicing points in Asia and Europe. Also, that keeps jobs withing the West and with key allies.
You either did not read , or if you did you did not undestand it. it clearly spelled out that If Turkey does not recieve the F35, or is cut out of the program, that it will cease sending components fpr the F35 to the US and this will cause a delay of 18 to 24 months in the production of that clunker while another supplier is found. Get it now?
For starters, it’s BS that the S-400 is better than the patriot… it is, however, significantly cheaper for a roughly comparable capability. Secondly, Turkey is a member of NATO. It is completely absurd that they would even consider buying Russian military equipment which, incidentally, is black listed because of Russian aggression in Ukraine. Third, there are very real security concerns that data about F-35 would be sent to Russia via the S-400 and thus make it easier to target… Which would be a big problem not only for the U.S. but for the 9 or 10 other countries that are buying the F-35 as their primary fighter.
In other words, if Turkey wants to recreate the Warsaw pact or buy the S-400.. by all means go ahead. Just don’t expect to do it and continued buying far superior U.S./NATO equipment. Good luck with the Su-57 Anakara edition. As for the Pastor. Allies don’t take hostages from Allies. In any advent, with Turkey’s economic crash it isn’t likely it can afford to buy much of anything.
No it isn’t. The technical details of the F-35 are far more important than the technical details of Russian radars (which are still a generation behind top notch U.S. systems in terms of integration). The U.S. can already track and avoid Russian radars since (by definition) they emitt signals, every time they are turnded on. F-35’s are far harder to study…. and therefore are far harder to track. So emphatically NO! Turkey will not be getting both the F-35 and the S-400. Given the government’s recent behavior, the U.S. should probably just decide for them.
Hardly. The idea behind joint manufacturing of military equipment is that all members are stable allies and not a risk of undermining the security of each other, especially in times of crisis. Allies do not take hostages and cozy up to the enemy. The fact is, Turkey can no longer reasonably be seen as a firm ally. Vice versa is also true.
As for shut down of production… that’s abusrd. You don’t think LM saw this coming for well over a year? It’s been percalating for at least that long. Youd don’t think congress gave LM a heads up??? You don’t think LM made contingency plans to shift Turkey’s production elsewhere???? Remember money is at stake. Lockheed is not stupid. If there is a production shortfall, it will last about a week before it is rectified.
I’m not against Turkey, but the country clearly no longer belongs in the F-35 consortium… too many conflcts of interest.
No. General Mattis is looking out for America’s interest and reasonable people can disagree about Turkey. He wants to keep, at least their military in the West’s orbit (if not their politicians). Ending F-35 sales would, in essence, sink the alliance. I think Mattis is playing the long game and hopes a more sensible Turkish government will eventually come to power. I personally think he is wrong and that it is better to bring the conflct to a head sooner rather than later… I personally would far rather have Turkey as a friend than an enemy, but we can’t compromise the future of American air power on a 50/50 bet.
Thomas Daniel Kuhn Here is the problem. Lockheed certainly knew that things were coming to a head with Turkey for at least the past year. I guarantee you that the largest defense contractor in the world has made contingency plans.
Mattis is milking it because he doesn’t want to isolate Turkey further since it is a long time ally and sits at the crossroads of almost all conceivable future conflicts. He may be right. He also may be wrong.
Turkey is playing both sides. They are exploiting their strategic position to their benefit. But I think past western gov may have indulge Turkey a bit too far that it think it can get away with buying the s400 that are direct opposite to the JSF. If they buy Russian tanks instead there may not be as much conflict. Trump is calling them out.
Jason Powe You are an American so I can understand if you don’t see things like these as differences:
Patriot
Maximum distance: 160km
Maximum speed: Mach 4
Altitude: 24km
S-400
Maximum distance: 400km
Max speed: Mach 14
Altitude: 185km
And the next generation S-500 is coming soon…
And what about taking hostages from allies?! US has done it with many countries and have even sent tropps to free American that legimitly been sent to prison in countries that are their allies… And this paster that you call hostage is charged with being one of the people behind the coup in Turkey last year… another accused is an anti Erdogan Turk living in US that US dont want to extradite…
And you also have to remember that US have a tendency to turn their backs and attack their former allies when they no longer give you the oil/natural resourses that US wants, or want to give the benefits from those natural resourses to their people and not to American companies…
And also, I wounder why these other countries that are involved in the F-35 now want to put in a firewall so that they don’t share the information from their F-35’s with US… and so far they have budgeted $25 Milion for developing that firewall!?
Jason Powe allies don’t harbor people who organize coup in the country. Nor allies dictate what to buy or not to buy.
Jason Powe are you saying that F35 don’t emit any radar pulses and don’t send any communication? I knew that western education is bad, but you have shown that besides of being brain washed by USP propaganda, but your logical thinking have been fried
Nils Per Ernst Torvang , you are absolutely correct in your assessment about americans attacking their former allies. US used Pakistan against USSR and then not only turned their back but is now indulged in almost open enimity with It by arming hindu-stan to the teeth with the latest and most modern weapon systems. Turkey would be well advised to understand and comprehend the true nature of americans..
Jason Powe Haven’t you heard the chimes of midnight ?
the real reason for s400 purchase was turkish military coupe that was sponsored by US , and turkey was left with only US hardware in term of defence, America always stab its Muslim allies at back when needed/ got the opportunity. so buying s400 was not solely for its performance it shows turkiah shift from US’s dependency and control
Its regrettable hear you mixing Islam and politics …..
Jason Powe bro I want to know in Russia,europe there no human being why we making such type of weapon and aircraft which will destroy our world. Are these necessary to make better world?
What support did the so called member states of NATO give to turkey during the failed coup? Rather many of their citizens were found involved in trying to destabilize their NATO ally. So now when turkey seems to tilt towards a more reliable no-stab-in-the-back partner suddenly the NATO member card is ready to be played. Hypocrites. Just jealous of Turkeys prominent role in the Muslim world
What support did the so called member states of NATO give to turkey during the failed coup? Rather many of their citizens were found involved in trying to destabilize their NATO ally. So now when turkey seems to tilt towards a more reliable no-stab-in-the-back partner suddenly the NATO member card is ready to be played. Hypocrites. Just jealous of Turkeys prominent role in the Muslim world
https://www.bbc.com/turkce/haberler-turkiye-43782841
USA PKK (terrorist organization) are in cooperation in syria s400 system in the US is scared of years because that is very protected a system that NATO never turkey has left fair treatment not alone in the fight against terrorism the US has been involved in the military coup in Turkey prune turkey in the US The longer has proven to be a friendly country turkey for it If their was forced to take the legitimate security to enter the path of relationship the United States the turkey with the need to establish more intimate relationships is threatening relations on the path relations are not on the path pastor brance you may be returned even s400 system
You are very right.In the name of an ally the US had been playing deceitful game with Turkey ever since. For example, the PKK, the Kurds, Syria meddling and all sorts of dirty tricks. Turkey chose to expose this dirty game. Turkey had to choose a dependable partner sooner or later.
Ahmed Kamal Pirzada I dont think US is arming India. Most Indian defence weapons are from Russia.
Donald trump is completely brain less as just showing like dictator to other nation , now the era has gone to keep complete pressure n change the things in own favour.
One day we will see that USA will lost super power as a country.
Things keep getting change gradually n steadily.