Turkey to receive US F-35 jets on Thursday: Deputy PM

By Sercan Kucuksahin

ANKARA (AA) – Turkey is due to take delivery tomorrow of F-35 jets it has purchased from the United States, according to Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozdag.

“Necessary contacts have been made with the U.S., and delivery of the F-35 jets will be on Thursday,” Bozdag told reporters in the central Yozgat province on Wednesday.

Referring to recent U.S. congressional bills seeking to block the sale, he added that any attempt to make the sale conditional on the release of Andrew Brunson, a U.S. priest facing terrorism charges in Turkey, amounts to a "threat."

Delivery of the Lockheed Martin-made jets is due to take place at a ceremony in Texas, with the jets set to come to Turkey once the pilots have received training.