US to keep six F-35 jets originally sold to Turkey
The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on June 11 authorized the U.S. Air Force to modify six F-35s fighter jets that were sold to Turkey but will be used for the U.S. military. The jets were never delivered to Turkish soil because of a disagreement over Ankara’s purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system, which the Pentagon said was “incompatible” with the stealthy F-35 jets.
Duvar English
The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee on June 11 authorized the U.S. Air Force to modify six F-35s fighter jets that were sold to Turkey but will be used for the U.S. military.
The jets were never delivered to Turkish soil because of a disagreement over Ankara’s purchase of the Russian-made S-400 missile defense system, which the Pentagon said was “incompatible” with the stealthy F-35 jets.
The United States kicked Turkey out of the F-35 program after its S-400 purchase.
Turkey, however, counters that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.
The U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee also said it had authorized $9.1 billion to procure 95 F-35 aircraft in its version of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, an annual bill setting policy for the Department of Defense.
The F-35 jet is made by Lockheed Martin Corp. The 95 F-35s authorized in the bill are 14 more than requested by President Donald Trump’s administration.