According to Aydınlık newspaper, Washington has requested Ankara to cover the costs for the storage and maintenance of the American “F-35” jets, which have not been delivered to Turkey following its purchase of the Russian “S-400” missile systems.
The newspaper reported, “At the end of 2022, Sabah newspaper revealed that the United States is demanding Turkey to pay for the storage and maintenance of the ‘F-35’ jets, along with additional payments, noting that the supply chain of the jets experienced disruptions and a rise in costs due to the exclusion of Turkish companies involved in the production from the manufacturing program.”
Previously, Victoria Nuland, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Political Affairs, stated in an interview with CNN Türk that Washington is ready to reintegrate Ankara into the “F-35” program, provided that a solution can be found for the issue with the Russian “S-400” anti-aircraft missile systems acquired by Ankara.
Turkey was removed from the “F-35” production program in 2019 after its purchase of the “S-400” missiles. At that time, Turkey was producing certain components, body elements, and systems for the jets.
The U.S. Air Force has finalized the purchase of eight F-35A jets initially intended for Turkey, as part of a contract modification worth $862 million. This decision came after Turkey was removed from the F-35 program due to its acquisition of the Russian S-400 defense system. The deal also includes additional jets for the U.S. Air Force and modifications to align the Turkish jets with U.S. specifications.
Last month, the US approved a potential sale of F-16 fighter jets and related equipment to Turkey, estimated at around $23 billion. The U.S. government’s green light for the F-16 sale to Turkey came as part of a broader package that also includes F-35 jets for Greece. The State Department has formally notified Congress of this dual deal, as required by U.S. law.
