U.S. halts F-35 equipment to Turkey, protests its plans to buy from Russia

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has halted delivery of equipment related to the stealthy F-35 fighter aircraft to Turkey, marking the first concrete U.S. step to block delivery of the jet to the NATO ally in light of Ankara’s planned purchase of a Russian missile defense system.

U.S. officials told their Turkish counterparts they will not receive further shipments of F-35 related equipment needed to prepare for the arrival of the stealthy jet, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters on Monday.

The Pentagon confirmed the Reuters report that the equipment delivery had been stopped.

“Pending an unequivocal Turkish decision to forgo delivery of the S-400, deliveries and activities associated with the stand-up of Turkey’s F-35 operational capability have been suspended,” Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Mike Andrews, a Defense Department spokesman, said in a statement.

-snip-

WORLD NEWS APRIL 1, 2019 / 2:32 PM / UPDATED 34 MINUTES AGO
Mike Stone, Humeyra Pamuk
5 MIN READ


Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-turkey-f35-exclusive/us-halts-f-35-equipment-to-turkey-protests-its-plans-to-buy-from-russia-idUSKCN1RD316

[Historic NY]

1. Give him the technology to have Russians shoot them down...

Turkey is more frenemy than an ally.

[atreides1]

3. But

Putin is Don's good pal...surely he wouldn't do something so underhanded as to create an AAA system that could track stealth technology, would he???

[Sherman A1]

2. Considering what these blasted things cost

it's probably doing them a favor.

[Sapient Donkey]

4. Is this more of an issue of not wanting Russia to get the $$ from the arms deal

or is there legitimate concerns of Russia somehow using data from both these weapon systems to refine its ability to combat the F-35? If it's the latter like the article suggests, then I would think our issue with Turkey as an ally/partner goes further than just these two deals.

[DallasNE]

5. Putin Has Been

Trying to peel off a NATO nation for a long time and Turkey has looked like the best bet for quite some time. The odds increased when their PM became a strong man not subject to the people - Putin's kind of guy.

We need more details but I'm not sure what other choice Trump had this time. Anything touching onto the Middle-East is complex. Turkey has a restive Kurd population; they border on Syria and they appear to be cozying up to Israel - if that isn't complex, I don't know what is. Need to keep an eye on this.

[jpak]

6. Good!

n/t