Turkish F-35 Deliveries on Hold Despite Erdogan’s Claims

Recent statements from Turkish President Recep Erdogan suggest he may have secured F-35 fighter jets from the US, but Jim Risch, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations chairman, has confirmed the deliveries will remain on hold. This decision stands despite Erdogan’s claims of having discussed the jets with President Trump at last month’s NATO summit.

Risch is maintaining the block on six completed Lockheed Martin jets that Turkey has already paid for. During a recent hearing, he emphasized, “I’m holding the hold and I’m going to keep it for a variety of reasons. As for Turkey, I still hold the F-35 they bought, and it’s still in the US.”

While Risch doesn’t have unilateral authority to block the jets’ delivery, he is empowered to place an indefinite freeze on weapon transfers. Just two weeks ago, Erdogan remarked that “Trump was meant to deliver them,” during his meeting with Trump in the Netherlands.

According to Erdogan, “We discussed the issue of the F-35. We paid $1.3-1.4 billion for the jets.” He has long sought these fighter jets after Turkey was removed from NATO’s F-35 program during Trump’s administration due to Turkey’s purchase of a Russian S-400 air defense system, which the Pentagon opposed.

In a statement back in 2019, Lt. Col. Mike Andrews from the Department of Defense noted, “The acquisition of the S-400 is not compatible with the F-35,” highlighting that Russia’s system could compromise the security of the F-35s. He elaborated on the risks involved in having an F-35 in close proximity to Russian missile engineers.

Despite these challenges, Erdogan expressed determination to acquire the jets. He stated, “We haven’t given up on the F-35. We’re discussing our intention to return to the program with our counterpart,” upon returning from the NATO summit. He added that discussions with Trump touched on technical aspects of the jets.

However, Turkey’s possession of the S-400 complicates the situation, as it raises issues under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which prohibits the delivery of F-35 jets to Turkey. Although the White House can lift certain CAATSA sanctions, it cannot waive specific provisions that directly affect the F-35 transfers.

A bipartisan effort, backed by several lawmakers, aims to maintain the block on the jets’ delivery. This initiative has garnered support from representatives including Chris Pappas (D-NH) and others of Greek descent, who have reportedly circulated letters in the House of Representatives to rally backing before being presented to Risch.

Discussions among high-ranking US officials have proposed relocating the Russian systems acquired by Erdogan to a US-controlled base in southern Turkey, possibly as a compromise. Meanwhile, Kimberly Guilfoyle, the former fiancée of Donald Trump Jr., noted in a Senate hearing that although she would adhere to Trump’s policies, she understood the reasoning behind the hold on the jet deliveries.

Guilfoyle remarked, “The people of the country have the options they’ve made in their lives, and Turkey has chosen to work with the Russians on the S-400.”