Posted on 06/15/2018 8:46:49 AM PDT by Texas Fossil
If all goes as planned, a long-anticipated ceremony will be held in Fort Worth, Texas on the first official day of summer. It's to mark the nation of Turkey taking possession of its first F-35 jet fighter.
The F-35 is widely considered the world's most advanced and versatile warplane. Not only has Turkey ordered more than 100 of them - it's also part of a nine-nation consortium manufacturing the 300,000 parts that make up Lockheed Martin's 5th-generation stealth fighter.
But there may be a problem. Congress is moving to block delivery of the F-35 to this nation that's been part of the NATO alliance since 1952. And it could be many months before Turkey's first F-35A would be ready to cross the Atlantic, because Turkish pilots have yet to begin their training at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona to fly it.
The Senate has led opposition to the deal.
"On its surface, because they're a NATO ally, I don't object to it," North Carolina Republican Thom Tillis declared this week on the Senate floor. "But today, I strongly object to it."
Tillis accuses Turkey of holding a Presbyterian minister from North Carolina hostage for the past year and a half. He says Pastor Andrew Brunson, whom he visited in jail two months ago, is being held on "bogus" charges to pressure the U.S. to extradite Fetullah Gulen.
(Excerpt) Read more at wuwm.com ...
Congress may yet deny delivery?
Or look at this (probable propaganda).
Turkey receives official invitation for F-35 delivery
https://www.dailysabah.com/defense/2018/06/04/turkey-receives-official-invitation-for-f-35-delivery
FR Comments: https://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3663428/posts
And then what to do with their nato membership? No good idea. Might nato put them in temporary relagation, sort of an untrustworthy status, with no nato secrets shared?
Thanks, another odd thought....
Do we provide fuel tanker escorts going back home, or do they bring their own over after training, before going home?
I really don’t know. Nor do I know the range of the fighter.
OK, thanks.
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