Turkey will lose F-35 warplane if Russia arms deal goes ahead, U.S. says

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States cannot allow Turkey to fly or help produce its F-35 stealth jets if Ankara goes ahead with the purchase of a Russian air defence system, America's envoy to NATO said on Tuesday.

"There will be a disassociation with the F-35 system, we cannot have the F-35 affected or destabilised by having this Russian system in the (NATO) alliance," U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kay Bailey Hutchison told reporters.

(Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Alissa de Carbonnel)