Turkey to eye alternatives if F-35s not acquired - Akar
Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said Turkey would have to look for alternatives if it could not acquire US F-35 jets over the purchase of the advanced Russian S-400 air-defence system.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Defence Minister Hulusi Akar attend a briefing at the Land Forces' Forward Joint Operation Command Center in Sanliurfa, Turkey, November 3, 2019.
Turkey said on Saturday it would look for alternative fighter jets if it could not acquire F-35s for any reason.
"All should be aware that Turkey will have to look for alternatives if F-35s [jets] cannot be acquired for any reason," National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said at an interview with Al Jazeera.
Turkey's acquisition of the advanced Russian S-400 air-defence system prompted the US administration to remove Turkey from the F-35 fifth-generation joint strike fighter program in July.
The US maintains that the system could be used by Russia to covertly obtain classified details on the jet and is incompatible with NATO systems.
Turkey, however, counters that the S-400 would not be integrated into NATO systems and would not pose a threat to the alliance.
'S400s to be activated'
On Thursday, Akar said Turkey would activate as planned S-400 missile defence systems, once the relevant military personnel complete their training.
He said that the training efforts were ongoing on the operation of the missile defence hardware.
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