Senator Menedez continues to block the sale of 40 F-16 Block 70/72 fighter jets and $20bn worth of upgrade kits to Turkey

Turkey agreed to ratify Sweden's application to join NATO. It was thought that the US would then approve the sale of fourth-generation F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters to Turkey. But a key senator has his own opinion on the matter.

Here's What We Know

Jake Sullivan revealed at the NATO summit in Vilnius that Joe Biden supports the transfer of modernised F-16 fighter jets to Turkey. The potential $20bn deal includes 40 aircraft and upgrade kits.

However, Senator Bob Menendez said this week that he continues to use his position to block the sale. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee says ratification of Sweden's application to join NATO is not the key to lifting the ban on F-16s.

Bob Menendez is willing to allow the sale of the US planes if the White House can get Turkey to stop its aggression against neighbouring countries. The senator has already held talks with the US State Department on the matter.

Greece has often complained about incursions by Turkish Air Force planes into its airspace. In addition, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will attend the opening of a new airport in Northern Cyprus, which is considered occupied by Turkey.

It is worth noting that despite his stance, Senator Bob Menedez approved the sale of Turkish F-16 Fighting Falcon modernisation kits to Turkey in the spring of 2023. The deal was worth nearly $260 million.

Meanwhile, TAI and Aselsan signed two contracts to modernise F-16 Block 30 fighter jets as part of Turkey's ÖZGÜR project. The deal was worth approximately $2bn, but details of the agreement were not disclosed.

Source: Defence News