Turkey’s Purchase of Russian S-400s Can Undermine New F-35 Jet Fighter

The fighting superiority of the new F-35 jet fighter could be compromised if Turkey, a NATO member, purchases the S-400 defense system from Russia. The top American general assigned to the alliance in Europe has told the Reuters news agency that “Anything that an S-400 can do that affords it the ability to better understand a capability like the F-35 is certainly not to the advantage of the coalition.” Turkey’s plans to purchase the S-400 system is only the most recent cause for the growing tension between Turkey and the United States. In Washington, members of Congress are anxiously seeking a way to block the sale of F-35s to Turkey altogether. Turkey’s critics are demanding that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan decide whether his nation is in NATO or Russia’s own alliance. Concern is rife that the S-400 system could aid in reverse engineering of the F-35’s stealth capabilities.