Turkey will receive F-35 fighters despite objections of US Congress
According to sources in the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin, Turkey will receive its first F-35 Joint Strike fighter this week, despite objections from Congress.
Lockheed Martin, which manufactures the F-35 fighters, will hold a ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas in honor of the new fighters destined for Turkey, a company spokesman said.
The National Defense Authorization Act, passed by both chambers of Congress, contains restrictions on Turkey’s participation in the F-35 program.
U.S. lawmakers expressed concern over the fact that Turkish authorities have an American pastor in custody, and also in connection with Ankara’s plans to purchase S-400 air defense systems from Russia, which, according to Congressmen, will “lower NATO’s overall security” and will be incompatible with the systems used by Turkey’s allies in the alliance.