The United States and Turkey are continuing discussions over the potential transfer of F-35 fighter jets to Ankara, with Turkey’s acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems remaining the primary obstacle to a deal.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that President Donald Trump is interested in advancing the transfer of aircraft that Turkey has already paid for, seeking to resolve the issue with the NATO ally.
However, US legislation restricts the sale until specific security conditions related to Turkey’s 2017 agreement to purchase the Russian S-400 systems are satisfied. Washington has raised concerns that the Russian-made systems are incompatible with NATO networks and could potentially expose sensitive information about Western aircraft to Russian intelligence.
The approximately $2.5 billion S-400 agreement prompted US sanctions against Turkey in 2020 under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which targets significant transactions with Russia’s defense sector.
Intensive Negotiations Underway
Turkish Deputy Defense Minister Alpaslan Kavaklıoğlu has expressed optimism following recent meetings with US officials in Washington. He confirmed that negotiations are ongoing regarding the six F-35 aircraft currently held in US storage and the possibility of lifting the CAATSA sanctions.
The aircraft were originally manufactured and used for pilot training before the United States removed Turkey from the international F-35 program in 2019. The latest discussions could help determine whether the long-standing dispute over the S-400 acquisition can be resolved and whether the aircraft transfer can move forward.
