The U.S. State Department notified Congress of a proposal to sell the Patriot air and missile defense system to Turkey, a move that may signal a breakthrough with a NATO ally that had been moving closer to Russia and roiling administration plans for the F-35 fighter jet, Bloomberg reported.
The potential $3.5 billion deal for the Patriot system, which is manufactured by Raytheon Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp., marks an opening gambit by the Trump administration to get Turkey to halt its purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile system, which the administration and Congress had vehemently opposed, according to four people familiar with internal discussions before the announcement.
“It’s a big deal, because only a few months ago, analysts were predicting all doom and the end of a nearly seven-decades-old U.S.-Turkey relationship,” said Soner Cagaptay, the director of the Turkish research program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “This suggests a new phase in U.S.-Turkish ties, one driven by a new rapport between Presidents Erdogan and Trump, and aided by bureaucracies in both countries determined not to let the U.S.-Turkish relationship collapse.”
Trump administration officials seeking better relations were stymied by a disagreement that threatened to turn into a crisis: Turkey’s intention to purchase an advanced Russian anti-aircraft missile system, the S-400 Triumph.
Turkey is a crucial partner in the U.S.-led program to build the F-35 stealth fighter jet, with 10 Turkish companies set to produce about $12 billion in parts, including key components such as the center fuselage and some landing gear.
The Russian S-400 was designed to shoot down U.S. and coalition aircraft at greater ranges and altitudes than older systems. U.S. officials are concerned that sensitive F-35 technology designed to evade such a system could be compromised and used to improve the Russian air defense system if Turkey takes possession of both systems.
The White House and several members of Congress were against the idea of Turkey having both F-35s and the S-400, whose computer systems could gain -- and possibly feed back to Russia -- crucial data about the warplane. At the same time, lawmakers had successfully blocked the possibility of a Patriot deal over fear of rewarding Turkey for what was seen as its bad behavior.
The State Department said the Patriot sale would strengthen Turkey as it confronts instability in the region, according to a statement by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency posted on Tuesday.
“This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by improving the security of a key NATO Ally on the front lines of the fight against terrorism,” according to the statement.
The proposed deal, which must be approved by Congress, includes up to 140 Patriot missiles, radar and ground control stations. Lawmakers have 15 days to review the proposed sale under streamlined procedures the State Department has in place for NATO allies.
