F-3589
ABOVE: The rst Turkish F-35A took to the air
on May 10, when AT-01 made its rst ight
from Fort Worth, Texas. Carl RichardsTURKISH TENSIONS
procuring F-35s, Turkey is also buying
S-400 (SA-21 Growler) long-range surface-
to-air missile systems from Moscow.
A US senate committee passed its
version of a $716bn National Defense
Authorization Act (NDAA) policy bill on
May 24 to prohibit the sale or transfer of
the F-35s to Turkey. The ban would only
be lifted if the US President can confirm
that Turkey is not degrading NATOinteroperability, exposing NATO assets to
hostile actors, or jeopardising the general
security of NATO member countries.
On June 18, the US Senate passed a
defence policy bill that would block the
transfer of future F-35s to Turkey. Senate
appropriators later added an amendment
to the foreign aid bill that would prevent
future F-35 deliveries to Turkey if it
doesn’t cancel the S-400 purchase.