Media: Ankara eyes S-400 transfer as part of push to rejoin F-35 program

Türkiye and the United States are discussing a potential transfer of Ankara's Russian-made S-400 air defence systems to a Gulf country as part of efforts to resolve the long-running dispute over US sanctions, Hürriyet columnist Hande Fırat writes.

Fırat reported that Ankara is seeking a legal formula that would satisfy Washington and pave the way for lifting sanctions imposed under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

According to the report, proposals such as deactivating the S-400 systems, dismantling their launchers, or storing them in Türkiye in a deactivated state under US supervision do not meet the legal requirements for removing CAATSA sanctions. As a result, discussions have shifted toward an arrangement under which the systems would no longer be physically located in Türkiye.

One option under consideration is the sale of the Russian-made air defence systems to a third country in the Persian Gulf. Several Turkish media outlets have identified the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a potential buyer.

The CAATSA sanctions imposed on Türkiye resulted in its exclusion from the F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet program and barred Ankara from acquiring the aircraft.

However, Hürriyet noted that the lifting of CAATSA sanctions alone would not automatically restore Türkiye's participation in the F-35 program. The report pointed out that the US Congress also included provisions in the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defence Authorization Act (FY2021 NDAA) restricting the transfer of F-35 fighter jets to Türkiye.

"Therefore, even if the CAATSA sanctions are lifted, Türkiye's return to the F-35 program would still require the completion of additional political, technical, and legal procedures. These are two separate legal processes," Fırat wrote.

According to the report, restoring Türkiye's eligibility for the F-35 program would require either amendments to the relevant US legislation or the adoption of a separate legal provision exempting Ankara from the existing restrictions.

By Vafa Guliyeva