The Delivery of S-400 to Turkey means the denial from F-35, a US analyst
Washington – North-Press Agency
Hadeel Oueis
As the Russian missile defense system S-400 arrival of the first batch to Turkey, the first US reaction was presented by the US Acting Defense Secretary Mark Esper saying on Friday that the United States did not change its attitude to the role of Turkey in F-35 program if Ankara received a Russian missile defense system.
Esper explained that he would hold talks with his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar later on, adding that he had informed him on 26 June in Brussels that Turkey could not own both the Russian S-400 system and the US F-35 at the same time, “Our position on (F-35) has not changed and I will talk to my Turkish counterpart,” he said.
He said that for the first time Pentagon commanders will review the mechanisms of the US air operations launched from the Incirlik Turkish Air Base, adding that its future depends on the decision of President Donald Trump and the US Department of State.
In the same context, Paul McLeary, US analyst for defense affairs told North-Press that President Trump could eventually use his executive powers to prevent any anticipated sanctions against Turkey, as for F-35 fighter jets deal, President Trump can do nothing to stop the Pentagon by blocking the deal.
McLeary believes that the biggest negative impact of the deal will be on a long-term and will affect the nature of the US-Turkish relationship along with the west countries. The impact is no longer linked to the Russian deal, but rather, to a wide range of American officials who realized that for many years Turkey has not been interested, as a reliable ally, in working on common interests of Washington’s foreign policy. Incirlik Air Base was disrupted for a long time, and Turkey has not succeeded in finding solutions that satisfy the US interests in Syria over “extremist” groups, as in the end, it took sides with Iran instead of helping Washington, its ally.
NATO is concerned
Earlier on Friday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), expressed concern about Turkey’s acquisition of the Russian missile system, after Ankara’s announcement of the start of receiving the first shipments of the S-400 system equipment, “We are concerned about the possible repercussions of Turkey’s decision to acquire the S-400,” a NATO official told AFP following repeated warnings that the Russian system is in conflict with the NATO systems that include Turkey.
The Turkish Ministry of National Defence announced earlier on Friday the start of the receipt of the first parts of the S-400, in a move that would escalate tensions with the United States, which it had warned of possible sanctions against Ankara because of the deal.
The first shipment of the S-400 missile system was arrived at the Mürted Air Base outside Ankara, leading to the drop of the Turkish lira against the dollar from 5.683 to 5.712, the ministry said in a statement.
On the other hand, Washington has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the deal with Moscow, and gave Turkey time until July 31 to abandon it, considering that Ankara’s purchase of the Russian missile system runs counter to its participation in the program of the US fighter jets “F-35”.