ANKARA

Turkey said Saturday it would search for alternative fighter jets if it could not acquire F-35s for any reason.

“All should be aware that Turkey will have to look for alternatives if F-35s [jets] cannot be acquired for any reason,” National Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said at an interview with Al Jazeera.

Turkey’s acquisition of the advanced Russian S-400 air-defense system prompted the U.S. administration to remove Turkey from the F-35 fifth-generation joint strike fighter program in July.

Read more: Turkey to eye alternatives if F-35s not acquired