"The F-35 can not coexist with a Russian intelligence collection platform that will be used to learn about its advanced capabilities", White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham announced on Wednesday.
"Turkey has been a longstanding and trusted partner and NATO Ally for over 65 years, but accepting the S-400 undermines the commitments all NATO Allies made to each other to move away from Russian systems", the statement continued.
Today, the White House officially announced that Turkey would not be allowed to purchase the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Michael Pompeo are looking into all possible variants of sanctioning Turkey for its deal to purchase S-400 surface-to-air missile systems from Russia, US Department of State Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus has told reporters.
Deputy undersecretary for policy David Trachtenberg said that the upcoming North Atlantic Treaty Organisation exercises in Georgia, Germany and Ukraine that involve Turkish forces will proceed as planned, but could not say whether F-35s will be involved.
Turkey and USA flags are seen in this picture illustration taken August 25, 2018.
It has purchased Russia's advanced S-400 air defence system for $2.5bn (£2bn) and sent members of its armed forces to Russian Federation for training.
Yet to be announced is whether the USA will impose economic sanctions on Turkey for its decision to buy the S-400 system.
Tonight’s lunar eclipse coincides with Guru Purnima, Apollo 11 launch date
At that time, Earth blocks most of the sunlight that would usually hit the moon, so that much of the moon is in Earth's shadow. Alternatively, Norway-based site Time and Date will also live stream the upcoming partial lunar eclipse on its website.
In a speech on July 15 (the third anniversary of the coup attempt), Erdoğan welcomed the first components of S-400 systems to Turkey, saying that "the S-400s are the strongest defense system against those who want to attack our country".
Trump on Tuesday signaled a reluctance to punish Turkey with major sanctions over its acquisition.
"It's a very tough situation that they're in and it's a very tough situation that we've been placed in".
Asked about the United States pressure to scrap the missile deal with Russian Federation, the government said it takes sovereign decisions based on security challenges facing the country.
By March 2020, Turkey's industrial participation in the F-35 program, which includes production on around 900 parts for the stealthy fighter, will be "unwound;" Lord said the projection is this will cost Turkey's economy around $9 billion over the life of the program.
India went ahead to seal the deal notwithstanding the US's warnings against it. India believes that it meets the USA waiver criteria for procuring the S-400 missile defence system from sanctions-hit Russian Federation.
Turkey received the first shipment of a Russian-made missile defense system last week, in defiance of stark warnings from Trump administration officials that the move would jeopardize U.S. -Turkey relations.
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