Don’t give Turkey F-35 jets if they buy Russian S-400: Top US general
Tehran (KNA) - The top US general and the head of American forces in Europe has said the United States should not sell its high-tech F-35 fighter jets to Turkey if Ankara moves ahead with plans to buy advanced missile defense systems from Russia.
Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, General Curtis Scaparrotti said it would be his "best military advice" that the United States not sell Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 jets to NATO ally Turkey unless Ankara drops plans to purchase Russia-built S-400 surface-to-air missile defense systems.
"If they accept the S-400 to establish it in Turkey, there is first the issue that it's not interoperable with NATO systems, nor is it interoperable inside of our integrated missile defense system. The second has to do with the F-35. It presents a problem to all of our aircraft, but specifically the F-35, I believe," Scaparrotti said during the Senate hearing.
"My best military advice would be that we don't then follow through with the F-35, flying it or working with an ally that's working with Russian systems, particularly air defense systems, with what I would say is probably one of most advanced technological capabilities," he added. "I would hope that they [Turkey] would reconsider this one decision on the S-400."
The US general also warned that there could be potential consequences in the wake of the purchase deal with Russia, namely, no future foreign military sales between Washington and Ankara.
Source: PressTV