Pentagon expects Turkey to buy US missile system

US Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said Tuesday he was confident that Turkey would drop its plan to purchase the Russian S-400 missile defense system and buy the US Patriot system instead.

A day after Washington put a freeze on its joint F-35 fighter jet program with Turkey in protest to the S-400 deal, Shanahan said he expects Ankara to opt for the Patriot missiles.

That would then allow the F-35 program to continue, he confirmed.

"I've had a number of conversations with Defense Minister (Hulusi) Akar and I really think we'll resolve this situation with our strategic partners," he said.

"I am very confident in the Patriot proposal that we've delivered to Turkey, its availability, its pricing, and very importantly, the industrial participation that comes along with the Patriot system."
Asked if that meant he expects Turkey will buy the Patriot system, Shanahan replied: "I expect we'll solve the problem so that they have the right defense equipment in terms of Patriots and F-35s."
As for the F-35s planned for Turkey, he said: "I expect them to be delivered."
"The S-400 and the F-35, we've made it very clear those are incompatible systems," Dunford said. "But we're still working our way through this. And I hope we can come up with an arrangement with Turkey."