The Pentagon's threat to remove Turkey from the F-35 program is not in line with the spirit of the two nations' alliance, the Middle East country's national defense minister said Wednesday.
Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan sent a letter on June 6 to Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar that Turkey would be pulled from the F-35 Lightning II jet program — including sales and the banning of Turkish contractors — unless Ankara decides not to go ahead with plans to purchase a Russian missile defense system.
Akar said Turkey is preparing a response to the letter and that he plans to speak with Shanahan on the phone Thursday, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.
"All topics are on the table and we are continuing to openly and clearly express our known views. We will continue to maintain the same attitude and stance," Akar said in a statement, according to Xinhua news agency.
On Tuesday, Shanahan said he will discuss the U.S. opposition to purchasing Russia's S-400 missile defense system with Akar on Wednesday, noting it would be incompatible with NATO systems and expose the F-35 to possible Russian interference. But Turkey has said the S-400 wouldn't be integrated into NATO operability.
And Turkey said it was unable to purchase the U.S Patriot missile system.
On Tuesday, the U.S. Air Force halted ongoing training of Turkish pilots on the F-35 at Luke AFB, Ariz., as well as training for Turkish maintenance personnel at Eglin AFB, Fla., and joint military exercises in Turkey.
By early 2020, contracts with major Turkish defense contractors, including Turkish Aerospace Industries, Roketsan and Tusas Engine Industries, would end if the country is pulled from the program, the Pentagon said.
"Covering defense and security issues between the two countries, the letter expresses the expectation of finding a solution to the existing problems within the framework of strategic partnership and maintaining the comprehensive security cooperation and emphasizes the importance of continuing negotiations," the Turkish Defense Ministry posted on its website Saturday.
On Monday, the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a resolution "expressing concern for the United States-Turkey alliance."
The resolution, according to the Turkish Foreign Affairs Ministry, "is not consistent in any way with the deep rooted friendship and alliance between Turkey and the U.S. It is impossible to accept the unfair and unfounded allegations raised in the Resolution about Turkey's foreign policy and judicial system.
"As we have always emphasized, the most effective way of eliminating disagreements between friendly and allied countries is dialogue and respect for the sovereign decisions of the countries. Instead, approving such resolutions which are not binding and which do not serve to enhance mutual trust; using the language of threat and sanctions and putting some artificial deadlines are not acceptable."
The U.S. Defense Department is seeking new parts suppliers for planes to replace those coming from Turkey should it buy the defense system from Russia. Lockheed Martin is the primary airframe builder and Pratt & Whitney manufactures the propulsion system.
Turkey, which was scheduled to receive its first aircraft later this year, has been among nine partner nations in the program. Six NATO countries have received F-35s: the United States, Australia, Britain, Italy, Norway, Netherlands.
Two additional nations that also participated in the aircraft's development — Canada and Denmark — are scheduled to receive the aircraft as well.
The first F-35 Lightning II rolled out of the Lockheed Martin factory in Fort Worth, Texas in 2006.
Erdogan to ask US not to exclude Turkey from F-35 fighter deal
Istanbul (AFP) June 12, 2019 –
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday said he hoped to persuade the United States not to exclude Turkey from taking part in the F-35 fighter jet programme, ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump later this month.
Erdogan, who is to meet Trump on the margins of G20 summit in Japan on June 28-29, said in a televised speech that before the gathering he "would like to discuss this issue by telephone and reverse it from the current situation back to where we started".
Washington has given Turkey until the end of July to abandon its purchase of a major Russian missile defence system, which it considers incompatible with Ankara's participation in the US's construction of its F-35 stealth fighters.
The Pentagon announced on Friday that if by July 31 Turkey did not give up on the S-400 system, Ankara would be blocked from purchasing F-35 fighter jets and Turkish pilots currently training in the US would be expelled.
Erdogan vowed to seek answers on his country's "exclusion from F-35 project for reasons that have no rational or legitimate basis", adding that Turkey was not only a customer but also a programme partner of the F-35 project.
Turkey plans to buy 100 F-35s and its defence industry has made significant investment in the warplanes' production.
"We have so far paid $1.250 billion," Erdogan said.
– 'Completed business'-
The Turkish leader however repeated there would be no step back from Ankara's plans.
"Look, I am not saying Turkey will buy the S400 defence system, I say Turkey has bought it," he added.
"We have completed the business. God willing, the system will be delivered to our country next month."
The purchase has raised eyebrows among Turkey's NATO allies and provoked anger in Washington, which expected Ankara to opt for the American Patriot air defence system instead.
But Erdogan said Russia offered a better deal including reasonable pricing and a joint production promise.
"This is not an attack system but a defence system. Won't we take necessary measures to defend our country?" he said.
"Did we ask for such a defence system from America? Yes, we did. Did they deliver? No, they didn't," he said.
Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Friday the US offer for the Patriots was "very competitive".
He also said he had sent a letter to his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar informing him of Washington's decision to pull Turkey out of the F-35 programme unless it abandons its plans to buy the S400 system.
Akar said in a statement Wednesday that the language used in the letter "does not bode well for the spirit of the alliance."
He said Turkey was preparing a response to the letter.
