The US Congress may revisit Turkey’s exclusion from the F-35 fighter jet program, the pro-government Türkiye daily reported on Wednesday, citing a December report from the Congressional Research Service.
The report, titled “F-35 Lightning II: Background and Issues for Congress” and published December 11, 2024, details factors that could lead lawmakers to reassess Turkey’s status in the program. The analysis points to Turkey’s original role as one of eight international partners in the F-35 project and its financial contributions to the program before its removal in 2019.
The United States expelled Turkey from the program after Ankara acquired the Russian S-400 missile defense system, arguing that the system’s radar could expose the F-35’s stealth technology to Moscow.
The CRS document notes that Turkey’s removal was part of broader US sanctions imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. However, it also references Washington’s recent approval of F-16 sales to Turkey, a decision that some analysts see as an opening for further defense cooperation.
According to the report, Turkey was previously a “Level III” partner in the program, with contributions ranging from $125 million to $175 million. Before its removal, Ankara was slated to play a role in F-35 engine maintenance and repair. The report does not make specific policy recommendations but states that “Congress could reconsider Turkey’s participation in the program.”
The CRS findings come amid continued scrutiny of the F-35 program, which has faced cost overruns, production delays and technical issues. In a separate development, defense contractor Lockheed Martin recently agreed to pay nearly $30 million to settle allegations of defective pricing related to F-35 contracts. The Justice Department accused the company of failing to disclose accurate cost data, leading to inflated Pentagon contract awards between 2013 and 2015.