Maybe letting Turkey get F35s would damage their capabilities more than sending them after more reliable Russian planes? They can get a lot more planes and keep them flying at less than the ruinous cost of F35s.
Regardless, you dont want Russian radar technicians getting refular practice painting the F-35 with the S-400 radars. And thats the main issue.
“Maybe letting Turkey get F35s would damage their capabilities more than sending them after more reliable Russian planes?”
It’s possible there’s a dumbass somewhere that thinks that.
People who know, do not.