Skip to main content

Pentagon says Patriot sale to Turkey still on table

The United States is reportedly still considering supplying Patriot missile systems to Turkey in what the administration may see as an opportunity to convince Ankara to walk back from the Russian system it acquired last year.
U.S soldiers walk next to  a Patriot missile defence battery during join exercises at the military grouds in Sochaczew, near Warsaw, March 21, 2015. The U.S. Army Europe has deployed a Patriot missile defence battery as part of joint exercises with Poland aimed at reassuring the NATO member in light of the conflict in neighbouring Ukraine. Picture taken March 21, 2015.   REUTERS/Franciszek Mazur/Agencja Gazeta  THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS,

The Donald Trump administration is talking with Turkey about the delivering the Patriot system, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer said today, despite killing a sale to Ankara last year. The NATO ally has requested the American-made air defense system amid a standoff with the Syrian regime in the contested Idlib province.

“We continue to talk to them about Patriot,” said Ellen Lord, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer. “Turks are very important to us; we have many different collaborations with them at many different levels. We would love to see the removal of the S-400 and we would love to see the Patriots go in.”

After Turkey took delivery of the Russian-made S-400 air defense system in July, the Trump administration pulled a $3.5 billion offer for competing Patriot batteries. Turkey previously received the defense systems on a loan basis during tensions on its southern border with Syria in 2013 as well as European systems.

A source familiar with the matter told Al-Monitor that US Special Representative for Syria Engagement Jim Jeffrey wants Turkey to request the Patriot system through NATO, as opposed to the United States. Jeffrey traveled to Syria on Tuesday with US envoy to the United Nations Kelly Craft, though it is unclear whether the delegation met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during the trip.

Lord said that despite the US decision to remove Turkey from the F-35 program in the wake of receiving the S-400, which the Pentagon fears could erode the stealth fighter jet’s ability to evade Russian radar systems, other sales programs to the NATO ally haven’t slowed down. Turkey would have to send a formal request to the Pentagon to buy the Patriot system.

But Lord’s comments could indicate that the US administration may still see a narrow window of opportunity for Turkey to walk back from the Russian system, which the alliance has said is not interoperable with NATO-grade weapons. Turkey has pointed to an April date to make the S-400 fully operational, after it tested the defenses in December against F-16s it purchased from the United States.

Speaking last week, US envoy to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchinson renewed a US call on Turkey to drop the Russian system in the midst of the Idlib offensive after an airstrike last week killed at least 34 Turkish troops. “They see what they’re doing now,” Hutchinson said. “And if they are attacking Turkish troops, that should outweigh everything else.”

A State Department official told Al-Monitor on Tuesday that the United States was still considering Turkish requests for assistance in Syria, but it has not approved any new ammunition.

A former senior administration official told Al-Monitor they were concerned that US provisions of ammunition to the Turks in Idlib could hamper the fight against the Islamic State in Syria and could be used against the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces. In October, Turkey launched an incursion into areas of northern Syria liberated from IS by the Kurdish-dominated group.

The United Nations has called for an immediate cease-fire in Idlib, where renewed fighting has forced more than 950,000 people from their homes. 

Join hundreds of Middle East professionals with Al-Monitor PRO.

Business and policy professionals use PRO to monitor the regional economy and improve their reports, memos and presentations. Try it for free and cancel anytime.

Already a Member? Sign in

Free

The Middle East's Best Newsletters

Join over 50,000 readers who access our journalists dedicated newsletters, covering the top political, security, business and tech issues across the region each week.
Delivered straight to your inbox.

Free

What's included:
Our Expertise

Free newsletters available:

  • The Takeaway & Week in Review
  • Middle East Minute (AM)
  • Daily Briefing (PM)
  • Business & Tech Briefing
  • Security Briefing
  • Gulf Briefing
  • Israel Briefing
  • Palestine Briefing
  • Turkey Briefing
  • Iraq Briefing
Expert

Premium Membership

Join the Middle East's most notable experts for premium memos, trend reports, live video Q&A, and intimate in-person events, each detailing exclusive insights on business and geopolitical trends shaping the region.

$25.00 / month
billed annually

Become Member Start with 1-week free trial
What's included:
Our Expertise AI-driven

Memos - premium analytical writing: actionable insights on markets and geopolitics.

Live Video Q&A - Hear from our top journalists and regional experts.

Special Events - Intimate in-person events with business & political VIPs.

Trend Reports - Deep dive analysis on market updates.

Text Alerts - Be the first to get breaking news, exclusives, and PRO content.

All premium Industry Newsletters - Monitor the Middle East's most important industries. Prioritize your target industries for weekly review:

  • Capital Markets & Private Equity
  • Venture Capital & Startups
  • Green Energy
  • Supply Chain
  • Sustainable Development
  • Leading Edge Technology
  • Oil & Gas
  • Real Estate & Construction
  • Banking

We also offer team plans. Please send an email to pro.support@al-monitor.com and we'll onboard your team.

Already a Member? Sign in

Start your PRO membership today.

Join the Middle East's top business and policy professionals to access exclusive PRO insights today.

Join Al-Monitor PRO Start with 1-week free trial