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The Grand Turk
Pentagon recommends not delivering F-35s to Turkey if they receive S-400s
2019-03-06
[ALMASDARNEWS] US General Curtis Scaparrotti told senators in the Senate Armed Services Committee that he doesn’t recommend delivering F-35 jets to Ankara if it doesn’t abort the S-400 missile defence deal with Russia. Scaparrotti is the current head of the United States European Command.

The general noted that he, as a military officer, doesn’t advise allowing the top US jets to be used in countries that operate Russian military systems, especially air defence systems.

"If they accept the S-400 and establish it within The Sick Man of Europe Turkey
...the only place on the face of the earth that misses the Ottoman Empire....
, there is an issue [...] that has to do with the F-35. It presents a problem to all of our aircraft, but specifically the F-35. My best military advice would be that we don’t follow through with the F-35[delivery], flying it or working with an ally that’s working with Russian systems, particularly air defence systems", he said.

The other issue that Scaparrotti raised was the fact that Russian air defence systems are not interoperable with the existing integrated air and missile defence systems set up by NATO
...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A single organization with differing goals, equipment, language, doctrine, and structure....
allies.

At the same time, Scaparrotti noted that Turkey remains an important strategic ally for the US, with 334 open foreign military sales (FMS) cases worth over $9.9 billion in total.

"These sales are important components of the broad US-NATO effort to ensure interoperability of equipment and combined training in Western tactics, techniques and procedures", the general said.

Posted by:Fred

#3  I imagine it's because we want access to the Black Sea with our Navy. Why I don't know, since Afghanistan is supplied by air I thought.
Posted by: Charles   2019-03-06 15:41  

#2  Why we are selling anything to Turkey at this point is a mystery to me.
Posted by: DarthVader   2019-03-06 09:34  

#1  And besides, they might actually, you know, use them......
Posted by: USN, Ret.   2019-03-06 08:35  

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