The future maintenance of the UK’s F-35 fighter jets might be put at risk by Washington’s displeasure with Ankara over its planned purchase of Russian anti-aircraft systems, The Register reported on April 23.
Nato member Turkey builds components for the F-35 and, critically, is the US-designated country for an engine overhaul plant that will serve European F-35 customers.
“Uncle Sam has raised the possibility of sanctions against Turkey for buying Russian anti-aircraft missile systems—putting the UK's supply of overhauled F-35 fighter jet engines at risk,” the journal noted.
It added: “US government official Aaron Wess Mitchell threatened action if the Middle Eastern/ European nation completed its purchase of Russian S-400 anti-aircraft defence systems, according to Flight Global, which reported the assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs as saying during a US Congress session: ‘This is because Turkey is an F-35 customer. Testing F-35s against a Russian-made air defence system inevitably raises fears that vital information on neutralising the F-35 threat would then be handed to the Russians on a plate.’”
The Netherlands, Italy, Denmark and Norway are the other European countries buying the F-35, and they may be similarly affected by a sanctions row between the US and Turkey over the S-400.
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