The United States stopped the delivery of equipment related to the F-35 fighter jet.
The F-35 equipment delivery to Turkey is now halted by the United States. It is the 1st concrete US step towards the blockage of delivery of the jet to the NATO ally. However, the decision is taken in light of Turkey’s planned purchase of a Russian missile defense system.
US 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, sources familiar with the situation revealed.
Pentagon also confirmed 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, revealed in a statement.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has refused to back down from Ankara’s planned purchase of a Russian S-400 missile defense system that the United States has said would compromise the security of F-35 aircraft.
