F-35 in exchange for S-400: why the US issued a tough ultimatum to Turkey
The US State Department sent an official letter to Congress, in which it stated that Turkey still does not meet the legal requirements for returning to the program for the production and supply of fifth-generation…
Assessment
The US State Department has formally reiterated that Turkey's use of the Russian S-400 system blocks its return to the F-35 program, citing CAATSA and defense budget laws. The letter confirms Washington is holding Ankara to a hard exchange: abandon the S-400 or forfeit the fifth-generation fighter. The key signal is whether Turkey will pivot or accept permanent exclusion.