Tarten de Turken de NAVO?

[A.J.]

#BREAKING:After #US government stopped delivery of F-35A Ground equipment to #Turkey, training of the Turkish F-35 pilots & technicians was stopped yesterday morning.18-0001 & 18-0002 which are in #Luke AFB now will be sent to Tucson, Arizona to be stored in 309th #AMARG boneyard.

Furthermore the 18-0001 and 2 which are in #Luke AFB now, two more (18-0003 and 4) are now completed & are under test at #Lockheed facility. The last 2 are still under production. #Turkey has an option to let them to be sold to #Israel before their confiscation by #US government.

In case of confiscation of Turkish F-35As by #US after impose of arm embargo on #Turkey,they will be available for sale even with price lower than average to #Israel & even #Greece. The best option for #Turkey is now to let them to be sold to #Israel before being donated for free.

Twitter

[Lex]

Exclusive: U.S. sends message to Turkey, halts F-35 equipment shipments - sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has halted delivery of equipment related to the stealthy F-35 fighter aircraft to Turkey, sources familiar with the situation said, marking the first concrete U.S. step to block delivery of the jet to the NATO ally in light of Ankara's planned purchase of a Russian missile defense system.

In recent days, U.S. officials told their Turkish counterparts they will not receive further shipments of F-35 related equipment needed to prepare for the arrival of the stealthy jet, two sources familiar with the situation told Reuters. The aircraft is built by Lockheed Martin Corp.

The sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the next shipment of training equipment, and all subsequent shipments of F-35 related material, have been canceled.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has refused to back down from Ankara's planned purchase of a Russian S-400 missile defense system that the United States has said would compromise the security of F-35 aircraft. Turkey has said it will take delivery of the S-400s in July.

The disagreement over the F-35 is the latest of a series of diplomatic disputes between the United States and Turkey including Turkish demands that the United States extradite Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, differences over Middle East policy and the war in Syria, and sanctions on Iran.

A Pentagon official had told Reuters in March that the United States had a number of items it could withhold in order to send Turkey a signal that the United States was serious about Ankara dropping its ambition to own the S-400.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Turkish officials in Ankara were not immediately available for comment.

The U.S. decision on the F-35s was expected to complicate Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's planned visit to Washington this week for a NATO summit. The latest development in the F-35 dispute came a day after Erdogan suffered one of his biggest electoral losses in decades in local elections.

Reuters reported last week that Washington was exploring whether it could remove Turkey from production of the F-35. Turkey makes parts of the fuselage, landing gear and cockpit displays. Sources familiar with the F-35's intricate worldwide production process and U.S. thinking on the issue last week said Turkey's role can be replaced.

The United States and other NATO allies that own F-35s fear the radar on the Russian S-400 missile system will learn how to spot and track the jet, making it less able to evade Russian weapons in the future.

In an attempt to persuade Turkey to drop its plans to buy the S-400, the United States offered the pricier American-made Patriot anti-missile system in a discounted deal that expired at the end of March. Turkey has shown interest in the Patriot system, but not at the expense of abandoning the S-400.

Turkey has engaged with U.S. negotiators in recent days about buying the Patriot system, a person familiar with the matter said. The system is made by Raytheon Co.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar in March said that despite some issues, Turkish pilots were continuing their training at an air base in Arizona on the F-35, each of which costs $90 million, and that Ankara was expecting the aircraft to arrive in Turkey in November.

U.S. lawmakers also have expressed alarm over Turkey's planned purchase of the Russian system. Four U.S. senators last week introduced a bipartisan bill that would prohibit the transfer of F-35s to Turkey until the U.S. government certifies that Ankara will not take delivery of the S-400 system.

Reuters, 01-04-2019, 8:32PM

[A.J.]

Pentagon warns of 'grave consequences' should Turkey buy Russian missile system

WASHINGTON — Turkey faces "grave consequences" if it continues plans to buy the Russian S-400 air defense system, including being blocked from buying the F-35 fighter jet and Patriot air defense systems, the Pentagon's top spokesman said Friday.

Asked about comments made earlier this week by America's top general in Europe, acting press secretary Charlie Summers said: "If turkey takes the S-400, there would be grave consequence in terms of our military relationship, and the Patriots and the F-35s."

"They will not get the F-35s if they take the S-400," he added, later indicating the potential Patriot sale would also be blocked.

The comments came a few days after U.S. European Command head Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said it would be his best military advice to bar Turkey from getting the F-35, should the country continue on the path of procuring the S-400.

The comments come as part of this week's back-and-forth between Ankara and Washington on the issue.

On March 6, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told local television channels that not only will Turkey stick to its S-400 acquisition plans, but it might also seek the more advanced S-500 in the future.

"We signed a deal with Russia for the purchase of S-400, and will start co-production. It's done," Erdoğan said, according to local translations. "There can never be a turning back. This would not be ethical, it would be immoral. Nobody should ask us to lick up what we spat. Later, we may work with S-500s."

And Friday morning, Turkish National Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said the U.S. not handing over F-35s to Turkey would be illegal and expressed his belief a solution could be found.

"Our peers say it is impossible to pass the sale of the F-35 aircraft in Congress, but we are working on a solution," he said, according to the Turkish Anadolu Agency. "We have to protect and cover our 82 million citizens. S-400 systems will begin to be established in October. The Air Force continues to work where they'll be stationed."

Turkey plans to buy 100 Joint Strike Fighters over the course of the program, and its first F-35 pilots have already begun training alongside U.S. pilots at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. Turkish companies play a key industrial role in the program as one of the producers of the center fuselage and the maker of the cockpit display.

As a result of the planned S-400 procurement, the Pentagon launched a large study into whether it would be possible to remove Turkey from the F-35 industrial base.

Turkey is also seeking the Patriot missile defense system. In December, the U.S. State Department cleared Ankara to buy the system for an estimated $3.5 billion, but discussions are still in the early stages of actual procurement.

Defense News

[A.J.]

Erdogan Breaks Silence on U.S. to Stand by Russian Missile Deal

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan broke his silence over a U.S. threat to punish Turkey with sanctions should it buy an advanced Russian S-400 missile-defense system, saying the purchase is a "done deal."

"It is out of the question for us to revoke the S-400 deal," Erdogan said during an interview with TV24 television broadcast late Wednesday. "Such an immoral act would not suit us."

The U.S. warned this week that it could retaliate by blocking Turkey's planned purchase of the next-generation F-35 fighters it's helping to build. The U.S. fears the Russian system could be used to collect intelligence on the jet's stealth capabilities, but Erdogan said "we've researched it, there is no such thing."

Ties remain strained between the NATO allies even after Turkey defused a showdown last year by freeing long-held U.S. pastor Andrew Brunson. President Donald Trump on Monday stripped some Turkish exporters of their preferential trade status, and the U.S. warned of penalties against any government entities, private businesses or individuals involved in the purchase of the missiles from Russia. The Pentagon is also seeking to install a multinational force in a planned Syria safe zone over Turkey's objections.

Trump's Trade Step Shows U.S. Can Hit Turkey Where It Hurts

Erdogan said "no one should attempt to tame Turkey" with threats on trade and that his country wouldn't agree to a U.S. proposal to sell its own Patriot missile-defense system unless it shares the technology.

"We will not go into a deal if they insist on keeping the 'key' to the system," Erdogan said of the Patriot missiles. "We've agreed with the Russians, we will go into joint production. We may also go into S-500s after the S-400s."

The top U.S. Commander in Europe, Curtis Scaparrotti, told the Senate Armed Services on Tuesday that the Pentagon should refuse Turkey's planned purchase of 100 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters if Ankara goes through with buying the S-400s. Turkey has invested more than $1.25 billion in the stealth F-35 jet since its development phase began in 2002.

F-35 Role for Turkey Is at Risk on Russia Arms Deal, U.S. Warns

The U.S. can't dictate that Turkey should buy everything from it, Erdogan said, reminding that the country's flagship Turkish Airlines is purchasing planes from Boeing Co. worth about $10 billion.

"We're not a slave, we're independent," Erdogan said. "We've completed the signatures with Russia for the S-400 deal under very very suitable conditions and they've brought the delivery forward to July. God willing, we will receive the first system in July."

Another major rift with the U.S. is over Washington's support for a Syrian Kurdish force that Ankara regards as a mortal enemy. To keep the Kurdish fighters away from its frontier, Turkey wants to secure a Syria safe zone along its border rather see that job done by a multinational force.

Washington allied with the Kurdish YPG militia in the battle against Islamic State, and wants an international armed presence stationed in a future safe zone to protect them from Turkey.

"We can't say 'yes' to giving control of the safe zone to anyone but Turkey," Erdogan said. "Otherwise, we would be facing the threat of an attack from that area any moment."

Despite the grievances, Erdogan also struck an optimistic note by speaking favorably about Trump. The Turkish president said the two leaders may soon talk on the phone and added that his son-in-law, Treasury and Finance Minister Berat Albayrak, was also in touch with Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to defuse the tensions.

"I don't find any of these serious," Erdogan said. "I believe discussions that I will hold with him, and discussions between Mr. Berat and Kushner, will put things back on track."

Bloomberg

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

De Grieken kunnen de morele en financiele NATO-support dan dubbel en dik gebruiken.

Mee eens.

[ARM-WAP]

Wat mij betreft z.s.m., in het geval dat... betekent het wel dat zeer fors geïnvesteerd dient te worden in de NAVO zuidoost flank.

De Grieken kunnen de morele en financiele NATO-support dan dubbel en dik gebruiken.

En de Turken proberen dan wel regionaal iets op poten te zetten. Wat en met wie... 

[jurrien visser (JuVi op Twitter)]

Ik hoop dat ze zelf snel uit de NAVO stappen, hopelijk is het niet doorgaan van de F-35 voor de Turken de druppel voor ze.

Wat mij betreft z.s.m., in het geval dat... betekent het wel dat zeer fors geïnvesteerd dient te worden in de NAVO zuidoost flank.

[Huzaar1]

Het is ook wel enorm arrogant.
Juist de Turken hebben de voordelen van een interoperabel te netwerken luchtverdedigingssysteem wat als vrienden onderling in de NAVO wordt gedeeld, ter beveiliging en bijdrage aan onze veiligheid mogen ondervinden. We gingen massaal erheen, meerdere landen met hun meest moderne luchtverdediging. N

En dan kopen juist zij een systeem wat naast enorm recalcitrant, gevaarlijk en een schending van een herenakkoord bovenal niet te integreren is in het luchtverdedigingssysteem van de NAVO.
Ik hoop dat ze zelf snel uit de NAVO stappen, hopelijk is het niet doorgaan van de F-35 voor de Turken de druppel voor ze.

[Parera]

@anadoluagency

#BREAKING Starting this October, Russian S-400 systems are to be installed in Turkey, air force is studying where to deploy them, says Akar

[Harald]

Top US general in Europe: Don't give Turkey F-35 if they buy Russian system

https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/03/05/top-us-general-in-europe-dont-give-turkey-f-35-if-they-buy-russian-system/

The top uniformed officer in NATO and the head of American forces in Europe said Tuesday that if Turkey goes through with its decision to buy a Russian air defense system, he would recommend the Pentagon refuse to give Ankara its planned purchase of the F-35 joint strike fighter.

Testifying in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti said it would be his "best military advice" that sales to Turkey of the F-35 be cut, should that nation buy the S-400 air defense system.

"If they accept the S-400 to establish it in Turkey, there is first the issue that it's not interoperable with NATO systems, nor is it interoperable inside of our integrated missile defense system. The second has to do with the F-35. It presents a problem to all of our aircraft, but specifically the F-35, I believe," Scaparrotti said.

.../...

[Huzaar1]

https://turkey.liveuamap.com/en/2019/26-february-turkish-foreign-minister-ankaras-purchase-of

Guess not.

Popcorn!

[Stoonbrace]

https://turkey.liveuamap.com/en/2019/26-february-turkish-foreign-minister-ankaras-purchase-of

Guess not.

[Huzaar1]

Hopelijk is snel duidelijk of ze dat ding nu mogen hebben of niet.

[Sparkplug]

Ondertussen hebben de afgelopen dagen de 3e en 4e Turkse F-35A's (AT-03 en AT-04) hun eerste vlucht gemaakt.

http://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-35/airframe-profile/9331/

http://www.f-16.net/aircraft-database/F-35/airframe-profile/9332/

[A.J.]

Het is gewoon een grote centenkwestie meer niet. Als het echt menens was had men de Turken al lang (tijdelijk) naar huis gestuurd.

Alles is bij jou terug te voeren op een "centenkwestie"... Cyber, Huawei, hacken, fakenews, spionage etc. etc... Allemaal een centenkwestie...