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Türkiye is weighing a plan to move its Russian-made S-400 air defense systems to the United Arab Emirates, potentially clearing a major obstacle to rejoining the U.S. F-35 fighter jet program, according to the Turkish media.
Under the formula being discussed, the S-400 batteries would be transferred to the UAE and stationed in Dubai, the sources close to the Turkish presidency told local news outlet Oksijen.
The U.S. administration is also viewed as open to supplying Türkiye with Patriot air defense systems if the S-400 issue is resolved.
The report added that Turkish officials have held talks with Russian counterparts over the future of the S-400 systems, while relocating them outside Türkiye has long been one of the options explored by Ankara and Washington to overcome the sanctions dispute.
According to the report, the proposal gained momentum after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that it was time to lift sanctions imposed on Türkiye under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) and signaled support for resuming F-35 sales ahead of his meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO leaders' summit in Ankara on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters during the NATO summit in Ankara, Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen argued that resolving the S-400 dispute could help build congressional backing for Türkiye's return to the F-35 program.
"If there is an acceptable solution regarding the S-400s, I think it would be positive for Türkiye to return to the F-35 program," Shaheen remarked. "The problem was the risk of Russia gaining access to our technology through the S-400s. If that issue is resolved, I think the way forward opens."
In December, Bloomberg reported that Ankara was considering returning its S-400 systems to Russia, claiming President Erdogan raised the idea with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Turkmenistan. The Kremlin later rejected the report, saying the future of the S-400s was never discussed during the talks in Ashgabat.
The UAE, one of Washington's closest regional allies, became one of Iran's main targets after Tehran retaliated against U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28.
Iranian missiles and drones hit several locations across the Emirates, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, triggering one of the country's largest-ever air defense operations.
The Emirates has long been a key U.S. security partner in the Gulf, hosting American forces at Al Dhafra Air Base and becoming the first foreign country to deploy the U.S.-made Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system.
Together with Patriot batteries, the multilayered shield forms a central part of the U.S.-backed regional missile defense network aimed at countering Iran's growing missile and drone capabilities.
Relocating Türkiye's S-400 systems to Dubai would add another layer to the UAE's air defense architecture.
While THAAD and Patriot systems are primarily designed to intercept ballistic missiles at different stages of flight, the Russian-made S-400 provides long-range protection against aircraft, cruise missiles and certain ballistic missile threats, potentially expanding the country's overall defensive coverage.
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