Turkey may unwittingly ruin the stealth capabilities of NATO’s top fighter jet, jeopardizing a $1.5 trillion program, should it purchase and activate Russian S-400 missiles, a former chief of the Turkish military said.

Ankara needs to look from the Washington’s perspective as it prepares to take delivery of Russia’s most advanced air defence system, General Ilker Başbuğ said, according to local media.

“The crux of the issue is this – can a radar detect the plane or not. The S-400s provide the sternest test,” said Başbuğ, according to the Diken news website.

When activating the Russian weapons for use, Turkey would need to enter the electronic tracing ID of the F-35s into the system, Başbuğ said. And by doing so, Turkey would be testing whether or not the plane can be seen by radar.

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