Contact Us

Russia offers Turkey Su-35 fighter jets amid F-35 expulsion

Russia is ready to sell its super-maneuverable Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets to Turkey, head of the Russian state conglomerate Rostec said Thursday.

Compiled from wire services TÜRKIYE
Published July 18,2019
Subscribe
DHA Photo

In the wake of the U.S. cutting Turkey out of the F-35 program, Russia is ready to deliver Su-35 fighter jets to Turkey, the head of Russian arms giant Rostec said on Thursday.

"If our Turkish colleagues show a willingness, we are ready to work on supplying Su-35s," Sergey Chemezov told reporters in Moscow.

On Wednesday, Washington announced it was removing Turkey from the F-35 stealth fighter jet program, following through on threats to do so over Ankara's purchase of the Russian S-400 anti-air system.

Following protracted efforts to purchase an air defense system from the U.S. with no success, Ankara signed a contract in 2017 to purchase the S-400s from Russia.

U.S. officials urged Turkey to buy U.S. Patriot missiles, arguing the Russian system would be incompatible with NATO systems and expose the F-35s to possible Russian subterfuge.

Turkey, however, emphasized the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.

Deliveries of the S-400s began last week and are set to continue through April 2020.