According to sources familiar with the matter, chiefs of US congressional committees have granted informal approval for the sale of an upgrade package for Turkey’s existing F-16 aircraft.
Due to ongoing opposition in Congress, NATO member Turkey’s desire to acquire billions of dollars in F-16s remains in limbo.
According to the sources, the smaller contract, which includes radars and avionics, might be officially disclosed as early as Monday.
If the transaction is approved by Congress during the formal approval process, it would be the first big military sale to Turkey in years.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment. The government would not comment on a pending defense transfer or sale until Congress has been properly notified.
“The United States and Türkiye have deep defense and security ties, and Türkiye’s continued NATO interoperability remains a critical priority,” a spokesman for the administration said, adding that the country supports Turkey’s efforts to improve its fleet.
The Chairmen of the Senate and House Foreign Affairs Committees who supervised the informal review and approved the modernization package did not reply to requests for comment.
One US official and another with knowledge of the issue were unable to offer a precise number for the deal’s value but said it would be in the millions of dollars. This follows recent signs of improving ties between Turkey and its neighbor Greece, as well as the forthcoming Turkish elections on May 15.
The agreement excludes the over eighty modification kits and the twenty billion dollar sale of new Lockheed Martin Corp F-16 airplanes requested by Turkey in October 2021.
According to one of the sources, the administration encouraged MPs to vote for the smaller package in order to send a “positive signal” to Ankara.
Because US lawmakers are demanding assurances from Turkey on issues other than Nordic NATO expansion, the vote does not ensure that the wider pact will be approved by Congress.
The considerations at hand, according to the sources, include permanently defusing tensions with Greece, preventing an attack on northern Syria, and sustaining sanctions against Russia.
The US’ “endless” demands and “unfair” measures over the sale of F-16s to Turkey are certain to infuriate Ankara.
