Congress froze deliveries of F-35 to Turkey: "Erdogan will transfer technology to Russians"
American edition The Washington Times published an article stating that the US Congress blocked the delivery of F-35 aircraft to Turkey. On the eve of "IN" reported that the head of the Pentagon, James Mattis, announced his support for an earlier decision on the transfer of a new generation of fighters to the Turkish Air Force. According to Mattis, any delay in the implementation of the contract can lead to negative consequences primarily for US companies, and they may lose a significant share of profits.
However, the US Congress did not heed the arguments of Mattis and decided to freeze the supply of F-35 to Ankara - at least for 2019 a year.
What are the arguments of the American parliamentarians with this?
Congressmen linked their decision to a number of complaints against Turkish President Erdogan. One of the claims is the arrest in Turkey of Pastor Andrew Brunson, whom Ankara accuses of involvement in the organization of Fethullah Gulen, according to the Turkish authorities, who organized the attempted coup. Branson himself is also accused of spying for the United States and having links to the Kurdistan Workers ’banned in Turkey disguised as a missionary.
But not at all the figure of Brunson is central to the congressional argument. American lawmakers are blocking the delivery of F-35 to Turkey due to the fact that the Ministry of Defense of this country, NATO decided to purchase from Russia anti-aircraft missile systems C-400.
From the material in the American edition:
Earlier, Turkish President Erdogan had already responded to such claims by the United States by saying that Turkey, a member of NATO, is an independent state and therefore is free to take measures to protect its interests and its sovereignty. At the same time, Erdogan reminded the United States that the Russian ZRK (С-300) are in service with another NATO country (Greece), but in Washington this fact for some reason does not cause concern.
It is worth recalling that individual congressmen in the United States fear that after sending the F-35 to Turkey, it will in some way transfer the RF technology to counter the American 5 generation aircraft by upgrading the existing air defense systems. In turn, Russia, in turn, expressed concerns that Turkey, as a NATO country, could transfer the Triumph technology to the C-400 air defense system to its American partners. Turkey responds to both countries with assurances that "all fears are unnecessary here."
The following fact should be noted: at the moment, Turkish military pilots are training in the operation of 5th generation fighters in the USA. In particular, we are talking about training flights on two F-35 aircraft, which, within the framework of the previously concluded contract with Ankara, should be the first to be delivered to one of the military aviation bases in Turkey. Now the situation looks suspended in the air, as does the training of Turkish Air Force pilots.
In the US, they still cannot really answer the question of what Turkish pilots have to do, who will complete the entire training course.
Moreover, the United States will have to impose anti-Turkish sanctions from the so-called CAATSA package, which provide for measures of pressure on countries engaged in military-technical cooperation with Russia. At the same time, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said that if the United States allows itself to put pressure on Turkey on the issue of future purchases of C-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia, “they will regret it”. How can "regret"?
Turkish experts in the country's mass media have repeatedly (even since the very attempt of the coup d'etat in Turkey) raised the question of the hypothetical deprivation of Americans of the opportunity to use the Incirlik airbase. This has not yet come to this, but with the decision of Congress to block the supply of already contracted aircraft, Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be “offended” and take a number of appropriate anti-American measures. Erdogan perfectly remembers that at one time Russia helped him to remain in the chair of the head of the Turkish state, from where he was going to throw off certain circles that enjoy the support of the United States.
The preacher Fethullah Gülen, whom Ankara asked to extradite to Turkey, first from Obama, then from Trump, still lives on the estate in the US state of Pennsylvania. And the Turkish authorities regard this fact as an unfriendly (and even hostile) gesture by the United States of America. Blocking the supply of F-35 by congressmen is a new gesture of “bad will,” as announced in Ankara.
However, the US Congress did not heed the arguments of Mattis and decided to freeze the supply of F-35 to Ankara - at least for 2019 a year.
What are the arguments of the American parliamentarians with this?
Congressmen linked their decision to a number of complaints against Turkish President Erdogan. One of the claims is the arrest in Turkey of Pastor Andrew Brunson, whom Ankara accuses of involvement in the organization of Fethullah Gulen, according to the Turkish authorities, who organized the attempted coup. Branson himself is also accused of spying for the United States and having links to the Kurdistan Workers ’banned in Turkey disguised as a missionary.
But not at all the figure of Brunson is central to the congressional argument. American lawmakers are blocking the delivery of F-35 to Turkey due to the fact that the Ministry of Defense of this country, NATO decided to purchase from Russia anti-aircraft missile systems C-400.
From the material in the American edition:
F-35 is used as a geopolitical pawn between Washington and Ankara, and congressmen are seeking to put pressure on Turkey in connection with the strengthening of its military ties with Russia. Last week, the US chief diplomat warned Turkey about a “serious flaw” in the proposed deal to buy Russian-made air defense systems, saying that the sanctions imposed by Congress on the deal would be only the beginning, if Ankara insists on this.
Earlier, Turkish President Erdogan had already responded to such claims by the United States by saying that Turkey, a member of NATO, is an independent state and therefore is free to take measures to protect its interests and its sovereignty. At the same time, Erdogan reminded the United States that the Russian ZRK (С-300) are in service with another NATO country (Greece), but in Washington this fact for some reason does not cause concern.
It is worth recalling that individual congressmen in the United States fear that after sending the F-35 to Turkey, it will in some way transfer the RF technology to counter the American 5 generation aircraft by upgrading the existing air defense systems. In turn, Russia, in turn, expressed concerns that Turkey, as a NATO country, could transfer the Triumph technology to the C-400 air defense system to its American partners. Turkey responds to both countries with assurances that "all fears are unnecessary here."
The following fact should be noted: at the moment, Turkish military pilots are training in the operation of 5th generation fighters in the USA. In particular, we are talking about training flights on two F-35 aircraft, which, within the framework of the previously concluded contract with Ankara, should be the first to be delivered to one of the military aviation bases in Turkey. Now the situation looks suspended in the air, as does the training of Turkish Air Force pilots.
In the US, they still cannot really answer the question of what Turkish pilots have to do, who will complete the entire training course.
Moreover, the United States will have to impose anti-Turkish sanctions from the so-called CAATSA package, which provide for measures of pressure on countries engaged in military-technical cooperation with Russia. At the same time, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has repeatedly said that if the United States allows itself to put pressure on Turkey on the issue of future purchases of C-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia, “they will regret it”. How can "regret"?
Turkish experts in the country's mass media have repeatedly (even since the very attempt of the coup d'etat in Turkey) raised the question of the hypothetical deprivation of Americans of the opportunity to use the Incirlik airbase. This has not yet come to this, but with the decision of Congress to block the supply of already contracted aircraft, Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be “offended” and take a number of appropriate anti-American measures. Erdogan perfectly remembers that at one time Russia helped him to remain in the chair of the head of the Turkish state, from where he was going to throw off certain circles that enjoy the support of the United States.
The preacher Fethullah Gülen, whom Ankara asked to extradite to Turkey, first from Obama, then from Trump, still lives on the estate in the US state of Pennsylvania. And the Turkish authorities regard this fact as an unfriendly (and even hostile) gesture by the United States of America. Blocking the supply of F-35 by congressmen is a new gesture of “bad will,” as announced in Ankara.
Information