US to buy eight of Turkey’s F-35s from Lockheed Martin
The decision comes after Turkey had been expelled from the fighter jet's production program over its purchase of a Russian air defense system.
The United States will purchase eight F-35 fighter jets originally produced for Turkey, the Defense Department announced yesterday, in a glimpse of what the Pentagon may intend to do with the undelivered fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
The US Air Force will purchase the F-35s as part of a nearly $862 million contract modification with Lockheed Martin, which built the aircraft for Ankara.
Turkey unveiled its first Joint Strike Fighter delivery in 2018, but the United States expelled Turkey from the F-35 program the following year after Ankara purchased Russia’s S-400 air defense system despite repeated warnings from Washington.
The United States later said other completed aircraft would not be delivered but that Turkey could rejoin the F-35 program if it returns the S-400 to Russia. The dispute marked a low point in relations between the NATO allies. Washington has threatened to sanction Ankara if it activates the Russian-made air defense system.
