White House affirms Turkish exit from F-35, as Pentagon provides details

“Unfortunately, Turkey’s decision to purchase Russian air defense systems renders its continued involvement with the F-35 impossible.”

WASHINGTON DC (Kurdistan 24) –Senior Defense Department officials explained to journalists on Wednesday how the US was unwinding Turkish participation in the F-35 program—the new, most advanced US fighter jet.

The Pentagon briefing followed shortly after the White House Press Secretary issued a statement, in which she affirmed definitively that Turkey would be removed from the aircraft program.

“Unfortunately, Turkey’s decision to purchase Russian air defense systems renders its continued involvement with the F-35 impossible,” the statement read. “The F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence collection platform that will be used to learn about its advanced capabilities.”

On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said that Turkey would not receive the F-35, but leavened his remark, by expressing a great dealof sympathy for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and blaming the Obama administration for the “tough situation” in which Ankara and Washington now find themselves.

READ MORE: US: Turkey will not get F-35, sanctions under consideration

The White House statement on Wednesday, however, was significantly tougher than Trump’s remarks the day before, and Ankara responded angrily.

“Turkey is calling on the US to correct its mistake of removing the country from the F-35 fighter jet program,” Turkey’s official Anadolu Agency reported, citing a Turkish Foreign Ministry statement that the US move “will irreparably damage relations.”

The US government, however, is trying to minimize the break in its relationship with Turkey, which “has been a longstanding and trusted partner and NATO ally for over 65 years,” as the White House statement noted.

“Our relationship is multi-layered and not solely focused on the F-35,” the statement continued. “We will continue to cooperate with Turkey extensively, mindful of constraintsdue to the presence of the S-400 system.”

Yet the White House also laid blame for the breach squarely on Ankara, explaining that the US “has been actively working with Turkey” to provide solutions “to meet its legitimate air defense needs.”

The Trump administration had “made multiple offersto move Turkey to the front of the line to receive the US Patriot air defense system,” it affirmed.

At the Pentagon, Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Ellen Lord, spoke similarly. “Since early 2017, when Turkey began publicly discussing its interest” in the S-400, “all levels of the US government have consistently communicated that the F-35 and S-400 are incompatible,” she stated.

“Turkey cannot field a Russian intelligence collection platform in proximity to where the F-35 program makes, repairs, and houses the F-35,” she continued, stressing that the aircraft’s “stealth capability” is crucial, and “the ability to detect those capabilities would jeopardize the long-term security of the F-35 program.”

Lord also detailed the losses to Turkey, in terms of job and “future economic opportunities.” Turkey made “over 900 parts” for the fighter, and it will lose “more than $9 billion in projected work share” over the life of the program.

This was not a US decision alone, Lord explained, but the “consensus” position of the F-35 program participants. “We’ve discussed it multiple times.”

Turkey has invested over $1 billion in the F-35, and she was asked, if it would be reimbursed. “We are discussing the specifics about the aircraft they have purchased so far,” she replied, even as she also explained that reconfiguring the supply chain to produce the F-35 without Turkey will cost the US some $500 to 600 million dollars.

Lord also explained that Turkey’s removal from the F-35 program was “separate from any congressionally-mandated, Russia-related sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act” (CAATSA.)

By US law, the administration is required to impose some form of economic sanctions on Turkey. State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said on Tuesday that Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were currently discussing just what they should be.

Other countries allied with the US are considering the purchase of the S-400 as well, including India. The risk exists that too soft a response to Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400 will embolden them to follow suit.

Indeed, at the Pentagon briefing, an Indian journalist asked, “What is the message that you are sending other countries that are planning to buy the S-400 from Russia?”

“The message we are sending is that we want to make sure that other countries are not purchasing equipment that is designed to counter our sophisticated fifth-generation aircraft,” Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, David Trachtenberg, who briefed alongside Lord, replied.

However, the journalist’s question also included the statement, “India is going ahead with its decision to buy the S-400,” giving the impression thatat least one other country has not absorbed that message.