US Confirms Turkey Has Not Met Conditions to Rejoin F-35 Fighter Program

The US State Department reiterated that Turkey has not yet completed the necessary legal conditions to be readmitted into the F-35 stealth fighter jet program.

In a letter addressed to Congress, the department emphasized that any delivery of these aircraft to Ankara remains contingent upon Turkey's full compliance with relevant US legislation, according to the Jerusalem Post.

The letter was sent by the Office of Legislative Affairs at the US State Department on behalf of President Donald Trump in response to an inquiry from Democratic Representative Wesley Bell of Missouri.

According to the letter, Washington's stance on Turkey's participation in the F-35 program remains unchanged. The department described this position as fully consistent with two key laws: the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and Section 1245 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020.

The State Department clarified that no F-35 fighter jet will be delivered to Turkey until Ankara fulfills all its obligations under US law, primarily resolving the contentious issue of Turkey's acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system.

This resolution, as outlined in the letter, requires Turkey to relinquish possession of the S-400 system and any associated equipment, provide clear commitments not to acquire it in the future, and complete the remaining legal certification procedures.

The letter quoted the department stating that Turkey has not met these conditions to date, stressing that any path to resolving the S-400 crisis must be transparent, lawful, and take into account US national security considerations.

The letter also referenced the recent bilateral summit between US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in Ankara, affirming that the US administration will continue engaging with Turkey on the S-400 issue while simultaneously working to strengthen cooperation within NATO.

It described the overall US-Turkey relationship as one based on shared security interests and balanced trade but noted that Washington will hold Ankara accountable whenever its policies conflict with American interests.

A substantial portion of the letter praised Turkey's diplomatic contributions on several priority issues for Washington, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the tensions between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Gaza situation, and efforts to combat ISIS and terrorism in the region.