The U.S. is suspending delivery of support equipment and supplies to Turkey for F-35 jet fighters because of Ankara’s pursuit of a Russian antiaircraft system over repeated U.S. objections, the Pentagon announced Monday.
The administration decision comes at a delicate time for Washington-Ankara ties. The U.S. now is in talks with Turkey over counterterrorism in the post-Islamic State period and is seeking to stave off a Turkish incursion into Syria to target Kurdish forces, who are a key U.S. combat partner in the nation.
Turkey received its first Lockheed Martin Corp. LMT, +1.38% F-35 plane last June, and for the U.S. defense industry — Turkey’s biggest arms supplier — the announcement could spell a major cutback in sales to a major customer. The Pentagon cited Turkey’s continuing interest in Russia’s S-400 antiaircraft system as the reason for the suspension of activities related to the F-35.
Turkey is one of the largest F-35 export customers, third behind only the United Kingdom and Japan. Sales to Turkey potentially are worth more than $8 billion, excluding weapons and follow-on maintenance, based on industry estimates.
An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.
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