U.S. Reps. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Paul Cook (R-CA) last week introduced a bill to limit the number of F-35 jet fighters that the United States could transfer to Turkey if the country goes through with a deal to buy a Russian air defense system.
“Turkey is our friend and partner,” said Rep. Turner, who serves as a senior member of the U.S. House Armed Services and Intelligence Committees. “However, Turkey is choosing to jeopardize its F-35 partner status for dealings with the Russian Federation.”
U.S. officials have said the Russian system is incompatible with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) systems and represents another effort by Russia to disrupt the alliance.
Rep. Turner on May 2 sponsored the Protecting NATO Skies Act of 2019, H.R. 2512, with cosponsor Rep. Cook as a companion bill to the same-named S. 922, introduced in March by U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-OK).
U.S. Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), who also cosponsored the bill, said, “Operating the S-400 alongside the F-35 would compromise the aircraft and its sensitive technology, impact interoperability among NATO allies, and most importantly pose serious risk to our shared defense and security.”
If enacted, the bill would direct that if Turkey purchases the S-400 air defense system from Russia, then the U.S. government would be authorized against obligating or spending federal funds to transfer, facilitate the transfer, or authorize the transfer of an F–35 aircraft to Turkey; could not transfer intellectual property or technical data necessary for or related to any maintenance or support of the F–35 aircraft in Turkey; nor could provide funds to construct a storage facility to store such aircraft in Turkey, according to the text of the bill.
“It is imperative that we prevent our superior F-35 capabilities from falling into the wrong hands,” Rep. Turner said last week. “I strongly urge Turkey to reconsider its purchase of the Russian S-400.”
Aside from bolstering U.S. national security, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program supports more than 1,400 suppliers and more than 220,000 jobs across the United States, a statement from Rep. Turner’s office noted.