SACEUR Says U.S. Should Pull F-35 If Turkey Continues With S-400 Buy

The top military officer in NATO says that Washington should reconsider Turkey's participation in the F-35 program if Ankara goes through with the purchase of S-400 air defense systems from Russia, reports Defense One. 

The Russian system presents specific concerns for the F-35 stealth fighter jet, Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and head of U.S. European Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. 

Scaparrotti advised against allowing the F-35 to operate with allies who employ Russian systems, particularly advanced air defense systems. 

His comments came as a team of U.S. officials met with their Turkish counterparts in Turkey to discuss U.S. concerns. 

Washington has long expressed concerns about Ankara's decision to purchase the air defense system and the threats it could pose to the F-35. 

The major worry is that Turkish S-400s could provide information on the F-35 to Russia, which could help it defeat the jet.

In December, Washington approved the potential sale to Turkey of the Patriot missile defense system, in a deal valued at US$3.5 billion.