Türkiye May Have to Blow Up Its Russian S-400s to Unlock F-35 Deal

Türkiye’s effort to sell its Russian-made S-400 air defense systems to the United Arab Emirates has stalled, potentially leaving Ankara with a far more drastic option if it wants to regain access to US F-35 stealth fighters: destroying the systems altogether, Semafor reported on August 13.

The S-400s remain the central obstacle blocking Turkey’s return to the F-35 program. US senators have insisted that Ankara fully dispose of the Russian systems before approving the sale of the fifth-generation fighters.

If Türkiye cannot sell the S-400s to the UAE and Washington refuses to accept Ankara’s previous proposal to simply deactivate them, physically destroying the systems could emerge as another way out of the impasse.

“There are several options for resolving this problem, and I think the Turks want to resolve it,” a US official told Semafor.

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Türkiye Could Offload Its Russian S-400s to the Gulf in Bid to Rejoin America’s Defense Club

Jul 10, 2026 14:20

Talks between Ankara and Abu Dhabi first became public more than a month ago, when Türkiye reportedly sought Russia’s permission to resell the systems. But people familiar with the negotiations told Semafor that the discussions now appear to have stalled.

The precise reason remains unclear, although one complication may be the UAE’s own ambition to acquire F-35 fighters. Taking possession of Russian S-400 systems could potentially expose Abu Dhabi to the same political and security concerns that have blocked Türkiye from acquiring the jets.

“Any country that acquires the S-400 and deploys that system will face the same concerns, problems, and restrictions that the Turks faced,” Democratic Sen. Chris Coons said.

Republican Sen. Rick Scott was equally clear, telling Semafor that Türkiye will not receive F-35s as long as it retains the Russian air defense systems. Scott, who said he speaks frequently with the Trump administration, added that he had “heard nothing” about what the administration might do next.

The stalemate complicates expectations raised after Donald Trump traveled to Ankara for a NATO summit in early July. Trump indicated that he would allow Türkiye to purchase F-35s from the United States and promised to lift sanctions imposed over Ankara’s acquisition of the Russian S-400s.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told Al Jazeera over the weekend: “We expect Trump to fulfill the promise he made regarding the F-35 fighter jets.”

But key lawmakers in Washington remain unconvinced that Türkiye has done enough.

“At this point, they have not gotten rid of the S-400, so it is at an impasse,” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch told Semafor.

Earlier, reports emerged that Ukraine was set to acquire 12 M270 multiple-launch rocket systems from Türkiye together with 70 M39 ATACMS ballistic missiles, more than 2,500 cluster rockets, and tens of thousands of 203-mm artillery shells under a proposed transfer of US-made weapons from Turkish stocks.

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