Updated 19/07, 10:36
The US has removed Turkey from the global F-35 program after the country took delivery of Russia's S-400 air defence system last week.
In a statement, White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said that the fighter jet 'cannot co-exist' with the Russian technology for fears that data about the jets' radar profile will make its way back to Russia.
"Unfortunately, Turkey’s decision to purchase Russian S-400 air defence systems renders its continued involvement with the F-35 impossible. The F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence collection platform that will be used to learn about its advanced capabilities," Grisham said.
Grisham's statement also indicated that US officials had been busy behind the scenes, offering to move Turkey to the 'front of the line' to receive Patriot air defence systems.
"The US has been actively working with Turkey to provide air defence solutions to meet its legitimate air defence needs, and this administration has made multiple offers to move Turkey to the front of the line to receive the Patriot air defence system."
The White House statement also said that Ankara's decision 'undermines' NATO and Turkish interoperability with the alliance, although the US will "continue to cooperate with Turkey extensively, mindful of constraints due to the presence of the S-400 system in Turkey."
The future of Turkey's industry contribution to the F-35 program is unclear. Turkish companies make 937 parts for each F-35.
Relations between Turkey and Greece, an EU and NATO member, remain tense over access to natural gas deposits around Cyprus. As ADM revealed in January, Greece has shown interest in purchasing RAN's decommissioned Adelaide-class frigates to bolster its presence in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey once had hopes of joining the European Union, but the repeated stalling of talks suggests that there is a glass ceiling to Turkey's integration into Western alliance structures. The US move is the latest fissure to open as President Recep Tayyip Erdogan takes the country in a more authoritarian direction and re-orients Ankara's foreign policy outlook towards Russia.
However, the ruling AKP party was recently defeated in a mayoral election re-run in Istanbul, the country's largest city and the hometown of Erdogan (who was once mayor himself).
Russia has reportedly offered to sell Turkey Su-35 fighter jets as a replacement.