UK and US fear Russia will learn F-35 aircraft 'secrets' via Türkiye
Through Türkiye, Russia could gain access to secret technologies of the US fifth-generation multirole fighter F-35, The Telegraph writes.
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| US F35 aircraft. Photo: Lookheed Martin/US.Air Force |
The UK will buy 138 F-35s, and Türkiye intends to buy two F-35s and Russian S-400 missiles. Experts fear that if Ankara uses both systems, information about the vulnerabilities of the US fighter jets will fall into Moscow's hands.
The US Senate has passed a ban on selling F-35s to Türkiye if the country does not abandon its plan to buy Russia's S-400.
According to Senator Chris Van Hollen, transferring F-35s to Ankara at the same time as S-400 missiles would "endanger the national security of the United States" and its allies.
“Türkiye’s purchase of both systems would allow the Russians to easily assess the F-35’s capabilities and identify its vulnerabilities, which is unacceptable,” he said. Similar sentiments were also voiced in the British Parliament.