US says Turkey cannot rejoin F‑35 program while S‑400 remains

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing that current American law—specifically provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act and CAATSA sanctions—precludes the United States from allowing Turkey to return to the F‑35 fighter‑jet program as long as the Russian S‑400 air‑defence system is deployed in Turkey. He emphasized that the legal restriction, not merely a policy choice, blocks any reopening of negotiations.

The decision reinforces NATO’s stance that the S‑400 and F‑35 cannot operate together because the Russian system could collect sensitive data on the stealth aircraft. For Greece, the ruling is seen as a strategic advantage, giving its air force a clear qualitative edge over Turkey’s fleet, which continues to rely on older platforms while seeking alternatives to the F‑35.

Turkey remains excluded from the program and faces ongoing sanctions, while the United States maintains its legal and security rationale for the position.