The United States has used Turkey’s decision to acquire the S-400 air defense system from Russia as a justification to remove Ankara from the F-35 fighter program. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan conveyed this perspective on a television broadcast, reiterating that stance to a broad audience. He underscored that the exclusion from the F-35 initiative aligned with Turkey’s strategic goals and its broader efforts to bolster its air defense posture.
Fidan explained that the move was tied to Turkey’s priorities in strengthening its aerial security and sovereign defense capabilities. He asserted that Ankara did not receive the level of support it expected from its NATO partners and pointed to the S-400 agreement with the Russian Federation as a key factor in the F-35 program decision. He added that the United States leveraged this issue within its legal framework to justify excluding Turkey from the joint aircraft effort.
In a February report from a Turkish newspaper, the political commentary highlighted that the United States did not provide the F-35 jets to Turkey at the time but anticipated payment for the long-term maintenance of aircraft stored for six consecutive years. The article cited an estimated maintenance cost of roughly 30 million dollars, noting that upkeep for the aircraft had been billed on a monthly basis since 2022 when the storage arrangements began.
John Kirby, who previously served as the White House Strategic Communications Coordinator, was cited as saying that Turkey could not receive fifth-generation F-35 aircraft while it operated Russian S-300 and S-400 air defense systems. This framing tied Turkey’s defense posture directly to its legacy and contemporary air defense choices, reinforcing the administration’s position on the arms program linkage.
Earlier, the United States approved an F-35 sale to Greece, a development that some observers linked to shifting regional defense dynamics and alliance considerations among NATO members. The Greek approval followed a period of intense regional defense calculations and strategic partnerships among allied states in the region.
These discussions illuminate the broader interplay between allied defense integration, interoperability, and the strategic calculus of member states within NATO. The case also highlights how procurement decisions and defense technologies influence diplomatic relationships, alliance inclusivity, and future military plans for both Turkey and its partners in North America and Europe. Observers continue to watch how these policy choices affect regional security, alliance cohesion, and the evolution of air defense strategies in the transatlantic bloc.