https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/08/1...t-transfer-amid-deepening-us-turkey-rift-f35/
"President Donald Trump has signed into law a defense policy bill that will hold up the transfer to Turkey of 100 F-35 fighter jets, deepening a rift between the two countries over the ongoing imprisonment of an American pastor in Turkey."
"The move amounts to a sharp blow to Ankara, which is already reeling from Trump’s decision last week to double down on tariffs on Turkish aluminum and steel. Turkey planned to take possession of the jets over the next decade, which would make it the third-largest operator of F-35s in the world.
But its cancellation will also complicate matters for the United States. Several key components of the jet are manufactured by Turkish companies, and the U.S. Defense Department estimates it will take two years to find and qualify new suppliers to replace any Turkish firms that are kicked out of the program. Meanwhile, the main European hub for the F-35’s engine repair and overhaul is in Eskisehir, in northwestern Turkey."
"Now Trump, who has been personally engaged in cultivating the U.S.-Turkey relationship, feels betrayed and wants retribution, analysts said. "
Pentagon tuottaa 90 päivän kuluessa raportin Turkin tilanteesta.