The United States warned Turkey against moving ahead with plans to buy a sophisticated Russian missile defence system that the Pentagon believes would threaten its advanced F-35 fighter aircraft.
The State Department made the remarks on a day when the head of US European Command spoke to politicians on Capitol Hill and said Turkey should reconsider its plan to buy the S-400 from Russia this year.
"We've clearly warned Turkey that its potential acquisition of the S-400 will result in a reassessment of Turkey's participation in the F-35 programme, and risk other potential future arms transfers to Turkey," said deputy spokesman Robert Palladino on Tuesday.
The US agreed to sell 100 of its latest fifth-generation F-35 fighters to Turkey and has so far delivered two of the aircraft. But Congress last year ordered a delay in future deliveries.
[...] The S-400 can track a large number of potential targets, including stealth targets such as the US F-35 fighter jet. Other advantages included its high mobility, meaning it can be set up, fired and moved within minutes.
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday March 06 2019, @07:12PM (2 children)
Today, Erdogan is the biggest obstacle to Turkey becoming an EU member, or being "westernized". If, instead of Erdogan, Turkey had an Ataturk Junior, or Ataturk Lite, Turkey's relations with the world would be very different. Erdogan is busy erasing Ataturk's legacy.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 06 2019, @07:22PM
Turkey was being denied membership to the EU when Erdogan was still learning to read.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday March 06 2019, @07:26PM
I remember before Erdoǧan, the obstacle was Turkey's Islamic majority. They would let Ukraine in while not admitting Turkey.
Plus, obviously now the base obstacle would be Cyprus.