US Keeps Turkey’s F-35 Transfer Under Discussion Amid S-400 Dispute — Washington continues to discuss the possible transfer of F-35 combat aircraft to Turkey, but Ankara’s acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems remains the main obstacle. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump wants to advance the transfer of aircraft already paid for by the NATO ally. However, US law requires security conditions linked to Turkey’s 2017 arms deal with Russia to be satisfied before the sale can proceed. Washington has raised concerns that the S-400 system is incompatible with NATO networks and could expose Western aircraft to Russian intelligence collection. The approximately $2.5 billion purchase also prompted a 2020 US mandate under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, which targets major transactions with Russia’s defense sector. Turkish Deputy Defense Minister Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu has expressed optimism following meetings with US officials in Washington, where discussions reportedly include six F-35s held in US storage and the possible removal of CAATSA sanctions. The aircraft were built and used for pilot training before Turkey was suspended from the F-35 program in 2019.
