By Kassy Dillon
April 11, 2019

Over the last few weeks, tensions between the United States and Turkey have been rising        over Turkey’s purchase of Russia’s S-400 anti-aircraft missile system.





In an interview with NTV television on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said, "If the F-35s don’t work out, I will again have to procure the jets I need from elsewhere...

There are (Russian) SU-34, SU-57 and others.

I will absolutely meet my needs from somewhere until I can produce it myself."​

Vice President Mike Pence threatened to expel Turkey from the join F-35 program if they went through with the S-400 purchase, The Daily Wire previously reported.

"We have made it clear that we will not stand idly by while NATO allies purchase weapons from our adversaries — weapons that threaten the very cohesion of this alliance," Pence said at a conference celebrating the 70th anniversary of NATO.

"Turkey’s purchase of a 2.5 billion S-400 anti-aircraft missile system from Russia poses great danger to NATO and to the strength of this alliance."

Pence also announced that all shipments of F-35 joint strike fighter-related equipment was suspended.


....According to Business Insider, Turkey produces about 6% or 7% of the F-35’s components and planned to buy 100 of the jets, having already received two.