PENTAGON (Halbeeg News) – The United States government has given an ultimatum to Turkey to choose between Russian made S 400 and Pentagon’s F 35 program.
Washington has notified Turkey that it is canceling its purchase of F-35 fighter jets if the Turkish government goes ahead with the purchase of a Russia’s S-400 missile defense system.
Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has sent a letter notifying Turkey that all training of Turkish pilots will also end as of July 31 and all Turkish personnel connected to the F-35 program must leave the country by the end of that month.
Shanahan’s letter states there will be “no new F-35 training”. It says there were 34 students scheduled for F-35 training later this year.
“This training will not occur because we are suspending Turkey from the F-35 program; there are no longer requirements to gain proficiencies on the systems,” according to an attachment to the letter that is titled, “Unwinding Turkey’s Participation in the F-35 Program.”
Acting Defense secretary also warned Ankara that its deal with Moscow risked undermining its ties to NATO hurting the Turkish economy and creating over-dependence on Russia.
“You still have the option to change course on the S-400,” Shanahan wrote.
Turkish officials have not immediately commented on the Pentagon’s letter.
Turkish President Recept Tayyip Erdogan said it was “out of the question for his country to back away from its deal with Moscow.
Erdogan said the US had not “given us an offer as good as the S-400s”.
Russia’s state-owned conglomerate Rostec said Moscow would begin delivering the S-400 air defense systems to Turkey.
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