US halts F-35-related deliveries to Turkey as S-400 row escalates

The United States has stopped the transfer to Turkey of support equipment for the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) as Ankara moves ahead with plans to procure a Russian ground-based air defence system.

While Turkey has already received two of its planned 100 F-35As, these remain in the US. Should Ankara proceed with its S-400 procurement, these may never arrive at their future operating base at Malatya-Erhac. (Lockheed Martin)

The move, reported by Reuters and subsequently confirmed by the US Department of Defense (DoD) on 1 April, is the latest in a series of attempts by Washington to dissuade Turkey from procuring the S-400 over concerns that networking the Russian system into NATO’s wider air defence system would expose the F-35 to an unacceptable security risk. Turkey is expected to receive the S-400 in July.

“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,” the DoD told Reuters.

Turkey is a Tier 3 partner in the international F-35 programme, with plans to acquire up to 100 of the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A to replace its Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons. It reportedly plans to field approximately 20 short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35Bs, although it is unclear if these will form part of the wider programme-of-record or if they will be in addition to it.

Washington is concerned that if Turkey fields the S-400 air defence system it will expose the F-35 to an unacceptable security risk. (AFP/Getty Images)