US government willing to sell Turkey F-16 fighter jets – congress opposes

The US administration has clarified that no deal will go into effect until Ankara officially approves the accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO alliance

US government willing to sell Turkey F-16 fighter jets – congress opposes

Photo: Lockheed Martin

The Biden administration has informed the US Congress of preparations to sell F-16 Fighting Falcons to Turkey, under a $20 billion deal. However, this is facing opposition from congress.

Last Thursday, the US Department of State informed Congress that preparations for the deal are underway. In October 2021, Turkey requested to acquire 40 F-16 fighter jets (Lockheed Martin) as well as 80 upgrade kits for its existing F-16s. And while the government supports the deal, Congress so far is refusing to greenlight it.

US Senator Bob Menendez (D), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has explicitly announced his opposition to this deal. The administration has made it clear, that no deal will materialize until Ankara officially approves the accession of Sweden and Finland to the NATO alliance.

Turkish Presidential Spokesperson, Ibrahim Kalin, said over the weekend that Washington’s demands for the deal’s approval are “endless,” adding that “Sanctions are imposed on the selling of F-16s F-35s, then Turkey reacts, then the US blames Turkey, and so on and so forth.”

Turkey’s foreign minister, Melvut Cavusoglu, will travel to the US this week, and will also discuss the fighter jet deal, according to a Reuters report. Turkey was removed from the F-35 stealth aircraft program because it purchased a Russian aerial defense system. In addition, the US Congress is dissatisfied with Ankara’s human rights policy in Syria.