Murad Sezer / Reuters
On May 30, Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu pointed out that Ankara would buy jets elsewhere if the US does not sell F-35 stealth multirole fighters to Turkey, according to Turkish broadcaster NTV.
“As regards the F-35 jets, I have no concerns, this contract is legally binding, it cannot be easily terminated. But if these jets are not supplied to Turkey, we will satisfy our needs somewhere else,” Cavusoglu said.
He added that there is no reason of the US refusal to supply F-35 stealth multirole fighters. Cavusoglu stressed that Ankara doesn’t want to “spoil relations with our US ally”, but “in case of problems, Turkey will not be left without an alternative”
“It may buy [aircraft] both from Russia and from a NATO country. There is an agreement on F-35s, and if one side withdraws from it, the necessary steps will be taken,” Cavusoglu emphasized.
In an interview to the A Haber broadcaster, Cavusoglu said that the Turkish may stand against the US troops at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey amid Washington’s inimical policy towards Ankara:
“We try to improve our relations with the United States. To normalize them, the United States should take steps regarding [the Syrian city] Manbij, the extradition of [Islamic cleric Fethullah] Gulen… When it comes to these issues, our people say: ‘Close the Incirlik, Kurecik bases [for the US]’… We are waiting for the United States to abandon its wrong actions.”
Earlier, US Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson pointed out that Washington hopes to resolve some “operational problems” over Russia’s S-400 air defense system delivery to Turkey before supplying F-35 stealth multirole fighters, The Hill reported.
“We would not want to have that aircraft close to the S-400 and so those discussions are going on with Turkey,” Wilson stressed.
On May 27, YeniSafak media outlet reported that Turkey might buy Russian Su-57 fighter jets if the US refuses to sell its F-35 stealth multirole fighters.
On May 25, the US House of Representatives passed a bill on the National Defense Authorization Act, addressing Pentagon to submit a plan to Congress to remove Turkey from participation in the F-35 program.
I don’t know, Turkey talks a lot, but they do little in comparison.
Turkey can do nothing. Moreover, like this stupid Erdogan started a war with Syria, USA can move this base to Syria.
I don’t know how these people think.
The U.S already has bases on Syria…
Thanks to Turkey.
what bases? a couple of barely improved dirt landing strips? Comparing the forward operating field bases to an installation of the scale and investment of the NATO hub at Incirlik is highly misleading.
Kick those bleedin’ Yanks out.
israel is not in the F-35 collaboration and get F-35 FOR FREE. Turkey is part of the collaboration and USA doesn’t want to sell. XD.
I find it hilarious. People are so stupid. Everyday, there are more and more stupid people. Don’t know where the fuck they come from. they are infesting the planet with their stupidity.
You made me laugh cause it is so fucking true…Well said
You can laugh because there is nothing else to do with all these stupid people.
Turkey should take all his money back from US with in one week that Turkey have spent on F-35 program. F-35 is slow speed Mach 1.6, single engine fighter jet with spy devices fit to spy on Turkey.
F-35 fighter can be easily targeted by a heat seeking missiles. Turkey should demand F-22 instead of F-35. F-22 is a better fighter than F-35. If US don’t offer F-22 then Turkey should go for SU-57.
The same way you don’t want your aquarium fish close to a cat?
Is F-35 scared of S-400? I heard it’s allergic to storks, but come on, both of them are going to belong to 1 party which doesn’t let it’s S-400 eat it’s cute little F-35!
L’Italia potrebbe vendere gli F 35 ai Turchi come ha fatto con Israele, ma c’è il problema del sequestro della nave Saipem che chiude la partita.
These threats are insignificant, can do a whole lot worse things to Turkey. And does Erdogan expect the ‘law’ to mean anything more to anyone else as it does to him? The only thing we should worry about is Turkey allying with Russia, who cares about their rhetoric.
What you need to worry about is Israel being hauled before an international war crimes tribunal
Turkey can cut off northern access into Syria to NATO, that is better leverage. Force them to go through Suez an Jordan so Russia can easily track and inventory each item imported.
Soon SAA will shut the Dara and Al Tanf borders and the new Iraqi government will block Iraqi/Syrian borders to US troops, (even if too Iranian also).
Soon Turkey will USAs only access to Syria, powerful leverage.
Better to threaten closing the Syrian border to US forces. The SDF are a direct threat to Turkey anyway so it will be viewed as more reasonable by other governments.
Incirlik is a Turkish insurance policy and US shouldn’t feel threatened.
Should Turkey ever need it, they can just shutdown the US operations at the base and acquire the US nukes. Now They have nuke leverage against us and israel and iran.
Gotta love that.
If Turkey doesn’t get the F-35’s, it will continue to push the unit price up as more of the R&D is spread over a reduced production run. . .
How much is the F-35 going to cost when it is only the US and Israel using them. . .
And Russia having Radar which paints them and the S-300 is capable of downing them. That sale is going to go through the roof. . .