US Decision To Exclude Turkey From F-35 Program To Weaken NATO - Turkish Defense Minister

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2019) The US decision not to deliver F-35 fighter jets to Turkey will weaken NATO, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Thursday.

On Wednesday, the United States said that Turkey's purchase of the Russian S-400 (NATO reporting name: SA-21 Growler) air defense systems had made it impossible to keep Ankara in the F-35 fighter jet program. Washington subsequently said it was working to unwind its relationship with Turkey in the F-35 program. The Turkish Foreign Ministry called the move a unilateral step that might bring irreparable damage to bilateral relations.

"Expulsion of Turkey from the F-35 program will negatively affect the NATO potential, especially on its southern borders. Expulsion of our country from the project in line with a unilateral decision is not fair and legal.

It is our natural right to call on the United States to refrain from making steps that are harmful for our bilateral relations," Akar said, as quoted by the NTV broadcaster.�

Moscow and Ankara signed a loan agreement for the delivery of S-400 systems in December 2017. Despite the US pressure, Turkey refused to reverse the contract, saying it was a done deal vital for national defense. The deliveries are underway.

The S-400 Triumph is Russia's next-generation mobile surface-to-air missile system that carries three different types of missiles capable of destroying aerial targets at a short- to extremely-long range. It integrates a multifunctional radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and a command and control center.