Turkey Seeks Russian Consent to Transfer S-400s in Bid to Rejoin F-35 Program

The Kremlin confirmed on July 10, 2026 that Moscow and Ankara are discussing the fate of Turkey's S-400 air defense systems, which Turkish media report could be transferred to a Gulf state to unlock Ankara's return to the F-35 program.

Russia confirmed on July 10, 2026 that it is in talks with Turkey over the future of the S-400 Triumf air defense systems it delivered to Ankara in 2019 — the first official acknowledgment from Moscow that the fate of the missile batteries is under negotiation, as Turkey pushes to rejoin the F-35 Lightning II program.

"This is an extremely sensitive issue," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. "However, we have been in contact with the Turkish side on this matter, and we will continue to maintain contact with them on this issue." His comments followed a report by Abdulkadir Selvi, a columnist for the Turkish daily Hürriyet, claiming the S-400s "have been sold to a third country" in the Gulf. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar have both been named as potential recipients, though the Turkish government has not confirmed any transfer.

Turkey purchased the Russian-made system in 2017 and took delivery in 2019, a decision that led to its expulsion from the F-35 program the same year and to sanctions under the US CAATSA legislation. Ankara had planned to buy around 100 F-35As and was a manufacturing partner in the program; roughly 30 aircraft built for Turkey were never delivered, with most transferred to the US Air Force. Washington has long held that operating the S-400 alongside the F-35 is incompatible with the stealth fighter's security protocols.

The diplomatic climate has shifted in Ankara's favor. Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, US President Trump signaled openness to readmitting Turkey: "Why wouldn't we do that? Turkey, in many ways, has been much more loyal than other countries." Under US law, the administration would need to notify Congress that the S-400 systems are no longer operational or in Turkish possession, and that Ankara has pledged not to pursue future Russian defense deals. Congress retains the authority to demand verification.

A return to the F-35 would reshape the Turkish Air Force's modernization path. According to GlobalMilitary.net data, Turkey currently fields around 238 F-16s — 153 upgraded F-16C/V and 85 legacy F-16C/D airframes — alongside 48 aging F-4E Phantoms. Since its exclusion from the F-35, Ankara has hedged: the US approved the sale of 40 new F-16 Block 70s and 79 modernization kits in 2024, Turkey ordered 20 Eurofighter Typhoons, and its indigenous TF Kaan fifth-generation fighter has completed its first flight. Neighboring Greece, meanwhile, is proceeding with its own F-35 acquisition.

Turkish media suggest an announcement on the S-400 transfer could come within days. Any F-35 deal would still face months of verification and congressional scrutiny before aircraft could be ordered.