Original Coverage & Source Attribution: www.al-monitor.com
ANKARA —Turkey is pressing forward with efforts to secure F-35 fighter jets and lift US defense sanctions, banking on President Donald Trump’s support and its strategic NATO value despite midterm Democratic gains in Congress.
In 2019, Washington halted Turkey’s purchase of six F-35 jets over concerns that the S-400 air defense system it purchased from Russia could collect intelligence on the stealth aircraft and compromise its sensitive technology. Ankara had paid roughly $1.7 billion for the jets.
Congress subsequently enshrined the restriction in the fiscal 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which prohibits F-35 transfers to Turkey until Ankara no longer possesses the Russian system. The same year, the first Trump administration also imposed sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act on Turkey’s main defense procurement agency and four associated officials over the S-400 purchase. Congress passed CAATSA in 2017 to deter third-country defense transactions with Iran, Russia and North Korea.
Roadblocks
