US to Move Ahead with Smaller F-16 Equipment Sale to Turkey

By Staff, Agencies

The US is ready to move forward with the sale of a smaller modernization package for Turkey’s existing F-16 aircraft, Reuters reported.

US congressional leaders gave their informal approval for the sale, which includes radars and avionics, on Monday, according to the report.

One US official and another source told Reuters that the value of the deal would be in the millions of dollars.

This comes just a few weeks after it was announced that Turkey would start the process of ratifying Finland's NATO membership bid in parliament ahead of Turkish elections scheduled on 14 May.

Reuters reported that the US State Department could send the formal notification of the smaller sale as early as Monday. If the package is cleared by Congress during the formal approval process, it would be the first major military sale to Turkey approved by Congress in years.

"The United States and Turkey have deep defense and security ties, and Turkey’s continued NATO interoperability remains a critical priority," a State Department spokesperson said, adding that the administration supports Turkey's efforts to modernize its fleet.

This package is separate from the $20bn sale of the new F-16 jet fighters to Turkey, a deal that is still in limbo in Congress because of continuous opposition.

Sources told Reuters that approval does not mean the bigger sale will go through Congress, as US lawmakers are seeking further assurances from Turkey on several issues.