What a mess they’ve got themselves into on this program - task national security and compromise of the F-35 against Russian SAW systems - or watch the price go up and the program slip, again.....
https://www.defensenews.com/congress...-f-35-program/
WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Jim Mattis is urging Congress not to
bar Turkey from purchasing the Lockheed Martin F-35, arguing that to do so would trigger an international “supply chain disruption” resulting in delays and higher costs for the $100 million aircraft.
“At this time, I oppose removal of Turkey from the F-35 program,” Mattis said in a letter to lawmakers
negotiating over the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act. Turkey, a NATO ally who has invested $1.25 billion in the program since 2002, plans to buy 100 aircraft. “If the Turkish supply chain was disrupted today, it would result in an aircraft production break, delaying delivery of 50-75 F-35s, and would take approximately 18-24 months to re-source parts and recover.”
Pentagon plans call for acquiring a total of 2,456 F-35s. Allies are expected to purchase hundreds of additional F-35s, and eight nations, including
Japan,
South Korea,
Denmark and
Norway, are cost-sharing partners in the program with the U.S.
The Senate’s defense policy and appropriations bills include language to delay sales of the jet to Turkey over its plans to buy the Russian S-400 air defense system and its detainment of American pastor Andrew Brunson.