A bipartisan group of 40 US lawmakers has urged the State Department to reject Turkey’s request to rejoin the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, citing Ankara’s continued possession of Russian-made S-400 missile systems as a threat to US security interests and NATO interoperability.
Turkey was expelled from the F-35 program in 2019 after purchasing the S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia, a move Washington said violated US law and compromised the secrecy of NATO technologies. The purchase triggered sanctions under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which Turkey remains subject to.
In a letter led by representatives Chris Pappas, Gus Bilirakis, Dina Titus and Nicole Malliotakis — all members of the Hellenic Caucus — the lawmakers said readmitting Turkey to the F-35 project without dismantling its S-400s would “jeopardize the integrity of F-35 systems,” risk exposing military secrets to Russian intelligence and weaken confidence in US defense exports.
They called on the administration to “uphold US law” and maintain sanctions, warning that any reversal could “disrupt development of the next-generation fighter jet” and send the wrong message to both allies and adversaries.
The letter was backed by a range of advocacy groups including the American Hellenic Institute, the Armenian National Committee of America, the American Jewish Committee and American Friends of Kurdistan, many of which have previously criticized Turkey’s foreign policy and regional military actions.
While Turkey continues to be a NATO member, its defense ties with Moscow have drawn sharp criticism from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Ankara argues that its removal from the F-35 program was unfair and has long lobbied for reinstatement, most recently amid reports of renewed talks with Washington.
Efforts to block Ankara’s access to US fighter jets have gained traction in recent years. Pappas previously led campaigns to halt the sale of F-16s to Turkey, including an amendment to the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act seeking to impose restrictions on such sales.
The lawmakers said they support holding all countries — including US allies — accountable when their actions undermine national security or breach legal obligations.