US Senators Look to Block F-35 Delivery to Turkey
Dan Arkin
| 01/05/2018
Archive photo: AP
A bi-partisan group of US senators introduced a bill on 26 April to prevent the transfer of the Lockheed Martin F-35A to Turkey. The bill would also block Turkey’s role as a maintenance depot for the aircraft.
NATO member Turkey has ordered a total of 100 take-off and landing F-35As. The first batch of 14 aircraft is already purchased, with deliveries scheduled to begin later this year. A total of 30 F-35As are scheduled for delivery to the Turkish Air Force by the end of 2022.
Sen. James Lankford, who introduced the bill together with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, said that Turkish President Erdoğan’s disregard for the rule of law, diminishment of individual freedoms, consolidation of power and "strategic decisions" have fallen out of line with US interests. He also mentioned the imprisonment of American pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey. "These factors make the transfer of sensitive F-35 technology and cutting-edge capabilities to Erdogan’s regime increasingly risky," said Sen. Lankford, adding that the Turkish government continues to move closer and closer to Russia.
Sen. Shaheen outlined the terms under which she would withdraw her support of the bill and agree to transfer of the F-35 to Turkey. "Erdogan and his government must abide by the rule of law within his own country and abroad, and release Pastor Andrew Brunson and other Americans unlawfully held in Turkey," she said. "There must also be an immediate end to the harassment and detainment of locally-employed staff at the US mission."
Earlier this month, a senior US diplomat threatened to use the Lockheed Martin F-35 program as a retaliatory tool against Turkey for acquiring S-400 missile defense systems from Russia.
[Source: Flight Global]
Archive photo: AP
A bi-partisan group of US senators introduced a bill on 26 April to prevent the transfer of the Lockheed Martin F-35A to Turkey. The bill would also block Turkey’s role as a maintenance depot for the aircraft.
NATO member Turkey has ordered a total of 100 take-off and landing F-35As. The first batch of 14 aircraft is already purchased, with deliveries scheduled to begin later this year. A total of 30 F-35As are scheduled for delivery to the Turkish Air Force by the end of 2022.
Sen. James Lankford, who introduced the bill together with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, said that Turkish President Erdoğan’s disregard for the rule of law, diminishment of individual freedoms, consolidation of power and "strategic decisions" have fallen out of line with US interests. He also mentioned the imprisonment of American pastor Andrew Brunson in Turkey. "These factors make the transfer of sensitive F-35 technology and cutting-edge capabilities to Erdogan’s regime increasingly risky," said Sen. Lankford, adding that the Turkish government continues to move closer and closer to Russia.
Sen. Shaheen outlined the terms under which she would withdraw her support of the bill and agree to transfer of the F-35 to Turkey. "Erdogan and his government must abide by the rule of law within his own country and abroad, and release Pastor Andrew Brunson and other Americans unlawfully held in Turkey," she said. "There must also be an immediate end to the harassment and detainment of locally-employed staff at the US mission."
Earlier this month, a senior US diplomat threatened to use the Lockheed Martin F-35 program as a retaliatory tool against Turkey for acquiring S-400 missile defense systems from Russia.
[Source: Flight Global]
