‘We need Turkey to buy the Patriot’ missile defense system, acting Pentagon chief says

Acting US Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Tuesday that he wanted NATO ally Turkey to remain in the F-35 fighter jet program, but added that Ankara needed to buy the Patriot missile defense system.

At a House of Representatives Armed Services Committee hearing, Shanahan was asked whether the United States wanted Turkey in the F-35 program.

“We absolutely do; we need Turkey to buy the Patriot,” he answered.

Washington has opposed Turkey’s plans to buy Russia’s S-400 air defense system, on concerns that would compromise the Lockheed Martin Corp-made F-35’s security. In the strongest signal yet from Washington that Ankara cannot have both the advanced aircraft and the S-400, officials have told Reuters the United States could soon freeze preparations for delivering the F-35 to Turkey.

The Patriot system is made by Raytheon Co. [Reuters]