Türkiye receives F-16 draft offer from US in $23 bln deal
ANKARA
Türkiye is moving closer to acquiring a fleet of F-16 fighter jets from the United States as the draft offer and acceptance letters have been officially received, according to a defense ministry official.
The press and public relations adviser for the ministry, Zeki Aktürk, confirmed the development during a weekly briefing meeting on Feb. 29. "Our relevant units have started the necessary reviews and evaluations," he told reporters in the capital Ankara.
The finalized deal, valued at $23 billion, will see Türkiye acquiring 40 new F-16s alongside upgrades to 79 of its existing fleet, following the recent approval from the U.S. Congress. The 15-day objection period concluded on Feb. 10, clearing the path for the sale after the sole objection raised by Senator Rand Paul was addressed within the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee.
The absence of objections from the relevant committee in the House of Representatives further streamlined the process.
The ministry sources revealed that the Turkish and U.S. representatives will convene following the completion of their respective reviews. The agreement will be finalized after joint assessments, initiating the procurement process.
Meanwhile, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler has continued to explore alternative options during his official talks in the United Kingdom.
The minister discussed the potential procurement of Eurofighter jets, sources said. Germany, a key producer of the advanced jets, has not yet granted approval for the sales. Türkiye has identified Eurofighter jets as a viable alternative in response to potential challenges with the F-16 acquisition.
The Biden administration's notification came after President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed off on Sweden's accession to NATO – a development that caps off more than a year of negotiations.
The formal endorsement of Sweden's membership by the Turkish parliament and Erdoğan's subsequent decree were published in Türkiye's official gazette on Jan. 25, marking the conclusion of the ratification process within the country.
Erdoğan has long tied the ratification to Türkiye's aspiration to procure F-16 fighter jets from the United States. The president also called on Canada and other NATO allies to lift arms embargoes imposed on Türkiye.
Sweden, along with Finland, abandoned its traditional position of military nonalignment to seek protection under NATO following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Finland joined the alliance in April, becoming NATO’s 31st member after Türkiye ratified the Nordic country’s bid.
However, Ankara held out on approving Sweden's bid, accusing the country of being too lenient toward terror groups. Türkiye had also been angered by a series of demonstrations by supporters of the PKK in Sweden, as well as Quran-burning protests.
The Swedish government responded by tightening its anti-terrorism legislation and taking some other security steps.
Ankara's pursuit of new fighter jets follows its expulsion from the F-35 joint strike fighter program in 2019 over its acquisition of an advanced Russian missile defense system.
