Pentagon to deliver F-35 fighter bombers to Turkey bypassing Congress approval

The Pentagon said that the US will supply F-35 fighter bombers to Turkey despite the pressure from the US Congress.

According to Pentagon spokesman Mike Andrews, the aircraft will be delivered on June 21, in Fort Worth, Texas. Afterwards, the fighter bombers will be moved to an air base in Arizona, where Turkish pilots and technicians have already arrived for training.

Earlier, the US Senate adopted a draft defense budget, which provides for the termination of Turkey's participation in the production of the F-35 because of Ankara's plans to acquire S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim earlier said that Turkey would find an alternative if the US was going to exclude Turkey from the F-35 production program. Yildirim noted that such actions of Washington come contrary to the spirit of strategic partnership.