ALBAWABA - In a significant development, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has provided detailed information about the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. Following the official notification from the U.S. Department of State to Congress, confirming approval for the sale of 40 F-16s and modernization kits valued at $23 billion, the DSCA issued a comprehensive statement outlining the specifics of the deal.
Under this deal, Turkey is set to acquire 40 new F-16s from the United States, and an additional 79 existing F-16s will undergo a comprehensive modernization process.
The announcement underscored that this proposed sale is geared towards enhancing Turkey's aerial capabilities and fostering cooperation potential with NATO, aligning closely with U.S. foreign policy goals and national security objectives. It emphasized the opportunity this deal presents for Turkey to expand and modernize its aging F-16 fleet, particularly those approaching the end of their service life.
The proposed sale, estimated at a total cost of $23 billion, encompasses technical equipment and modernization kits for 32 "F-16 C Block 70" aircraft, 8 "F-16 D Block 70" aircraft, and the modernization of Turkey's current 79 F-16 aircraft into the V-configuration.
This development is part of Turkey's strategy to fulfill its aircraft requirements while awaiting the completion of the National Combat Aircraft (MMU) project. The U.S. approval for the sale, initially given in October 2021, gained momentum as the Biden administration supported the deal, contingent on Turkey's agreement to Sweden's NATO membership. With Sweden addressing Turkey's security concerns and tightening counterterrorism laws, the U.S. State Department officially notified Congress of the approval, paving the way for the sale.
The notification triggers a 15-day period for Congress to raise any objections to the sale. If there are no objections during this period, the sale will proceed. Both the Senate and House of Representatives' foreign relations committees are reportedly supportive of the sale.
Democratic Senator Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Representative Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, have indicated their approval, citing Turkey's endorsement of Sweden's NATO membership as a pivotal factor.
Notably, the F-16 Block 70 fighter jets involved in the sale are recognized as 4.5th generation, featuring Advanced Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Radar, setting them apart from the existing 4th generation F-16s.
