USA: Our Policy on F-35 Supply Conditions to Turkey Remains Unchanged

The U.S. has responded to the statements of Turkey's Minister of National Defense, Yaşar Güler, regarding the lack of objections from the U.S. to Turkey's Russian-made S-400 missiles and the possibility of providing F-35 fighter jets.

In a response to a request for comment from VOA Turkish, the U.S. State Department indicated there has been no change in its policies. The department stated in a written statement, “The conditions for the procurement of F-35s by Turkey are well known, and our policy has not changed. Maintaining Turkey's interoperability with NATO remains a critical priority for the U.S.”

The department did not respond to questions regarding Turkey's acquisition of the F-35 or discussions about its return to the F-35 program.

Turkey was removed from the F-35 program, of which it was a founding partner, after purchasing the S-400 missile defense system from Russia. U.S. officials have indicated that the S-400s pose a security risk for the fifth-generation fighter jets, the F-35s.

In 2019, Turkey became the first NATO country to be sanctioned under CAATSA, which imposes penalties on countries engaging in significant defense cooperation with Russia.