Turkey Remains Without F-35s Due To Unfulfilled U.S. Requirements

Turkey has still not fulfilled the requirements set by the United States for its return to the F-35 program.

Greek media outlet Ekathimerini reported on this, citing a letter from the U.S. State Department to Congress.

In response to an inquiry from Democratic Congressman Wesley Bell, the State Department’s Bureau of Legislative Affairs emphasized that no F-35 fighter jets can be transferred to Turkey until it fully meets the legal requirements established under U.S. law.

The document states that Washington’s policy remains unchanged and fully complies with the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and Section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY2020 NDAA).

The letter notes that to return to the program, Turkey must finally resolve the issue of the S-400 air defense system.

In particular, Ankara must remove the Russian air defense system and related equipment, provide guarantees that it will not purchase S-400 systems in the future, and meet all other legal requirements necessary for certification.

The State Department also emphasized that any process to resolve the S-400 issue must be “transparent, lawful, and consistent with the US national security interests.”

At the same time, the letter confirms that negotiations between Washington and Ankara aimed at resolving the dispute are ongoing.

On July 8, it was reported that Donald Trump said he intended to consider the possibility of restoring F-35 sales to Turkey and lifting the economic sanctions imposed on the country.

Meanwhile, Turkey says it is ready for a compromise that would allow the United States to conduct technical oversight of the S-400 systems.

However, Ankara seeks to retain these air defense systems in its arsenal as a reserve option in case of exceptional threats to the country’s national security.

More about Turkey’s S-400 systems can be read in the article: “Turkey’s S-400 Story: How Russian Air Defense Systems Cost Ankara the F-35.”