Turkey Pursues S-400 Sale to Revive F-35 Bid as 6 Jets Still Face Congressional Hurdles
Updated
Updated · EurAsian Times · Jul 18
Turkey Pursues S-400 Sale to Revive F-35 Bid as 6 Jets Still Face Congressional Hurdles
1 articles · Updated · EurAsian Times · Jul 18
Summary
Turkey’s defense ministry said “multilateral work” is underway to dispose of its Russian S-400 system, confirming reports Ankara is exploring a sale to a third country such as Qatar or the UAE.
The push is aimed at getting US CAATSA sanctions lifted and reopening a path to the F-35 program, with Turkish officials previously signaling a possible first batch of 6 jets if sanctions are removed.
Analysts say selling the S-400 may not be enough because Washington must verify Turkey no longer owns or operates the system, and Congress could still block any sanctions relief or aircraft transfer.
Skeptics also argue the core problem is lasting trust and exposure risk from Turkey’s earlier S-400 acquisition and Russian involvement, not just the system’s physical location.
Regional and political opposition adds to the uncertainty, with Israel, Greece and some US lawmakers resisting an F-35 sale even if Ankara succeeds in offloading the S-400.