{"id":6556,"date":"2026-07-21T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-21T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/?p=6556"},"modified":"2026-07-21T07:45:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T12:45:14","slug":"a-rumored-arms-deal-would-trade-russian-s-400-systems-for-f-35-fighters-but-the-real-problem-isnt-the-price","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/okdiario.com\/techy\/en\/a-rumored-arms-deal-would-trade-russian-s-400-systems-for-f-35-fighters-but-the-real-problem-isnt-the-price\/6556\/","title":{"rendered":"A rumored arms deal would trade Russian S-400 systems for F-35 fighters, but the real problem isn’t the price"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A strange question is moving around NATO circles right now. Could Turkey clear the way back into the U.S. F-35 program by sending its Russian-made S-400 air defense system to another country, possibly South Korea?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The idea sounds like a diplomatic shortcut, but it is really a stress test for the rules around modern weapons, stealth technology, alliance trust, and even the environmental footprint of a new defense buildout. President Donald Trump has said he will lift sanctions imposed on Turkey and consider an F-35 sale, yet U.S. law and congressional resistance still stand in the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A deal with strings attached<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Turkey was removed from the F-35 program after buying Russia\u2019s S-400 system, a move Washington said created unacceptable risks for the stealth fighter. In 2019, the White House said<\/a> the F-35 \u201ccannot coexist\u201d with what it described as a Russian intelligence collection platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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That concern has never really gone away. The Pentagon later said Turkey could not have both the Russian system and the fifth-generation fighter<\/a>, while noting that Turkey had been expected to buy 100 F-35 jets and was making more than 900 parts for the aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what changed? Not the hardware. What changed is the political weather in Washington, where Trump has praised Turkey as a NATO partner and told reporters, \u201cWe\u2019re going to be taking the sanctions off.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"An
Rumors of a potential third-country transfer for Turkey’s S-400 systems have sparked renewed debate over whether Ankara could rejoin the F-35 program.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The South Korea twist<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The unusual proposal, reported by Euractiv and repeated by Russian outlet Gazeta through VPK, would involve Turkey transferring the S-400 system to a third country instead of returning it to Russia. South Korea has been mentioned as one possible destination, although there is no confirmed agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is where the story gets tricky. Russian lawmaker Alexei Zhuravlev said any transfer would be impossible without Russian coordination, arguing that military contracts are normally written to prevent resale or transfer to third parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In practical terms, that means Turkey may not be able to simply pack up the system and ship it away like old office equipment. Weapons deals come with end-user rules, technical restrictions, and political baggage that can follow a system for decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Washington is cautious<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The F-35<\/a> is not just another fighter jet. It is a flying computer, built around stealth, sensors, software<\/a>, data links, and maintenance systems that allies guard closely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congress passed restrictions that block F-35 transfers to Turkey while it retains the S-400. Reuters reported that U.S. law does not currently allow Turkey to operate or possess the S-400 if it wants to rejoin the F-35 program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why a third-country transfer could look appealing on paper. It might give Washington a way to say Turkey no longer has the Russian system, while letting Ankara avoid a direct return to Moscow. But would Congress accept it? Not yet. Lawmakers are still asking for details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Israel and Greece are watching<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Turkey\u2019s return to the F-35 would not happen in a vacuum. Israel and Greece have both raised concerns about how advanced U.S. jets in Turkish hands could shift military balances<\/a> in the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told CNN that he opposed such a sale, saying, \u201cIt would destroy the power balance in the Middle East.\u201d Reuters also reported that a planned meeting involving U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Israeli officials was canceled amid tension over the possible sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For everyday readers, think of it this way. One country\u2019s \u201cmodernization\u201d can look like another country\u2019s security headache, especially when the aircraft involved is among the most advanced in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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