Turkey is serious in upgrading its military capability, especially its air force. It originally wanted the 5th generation tecnological prowess of the F-35 Lightning II but was kept out of the loop. Not giving up, Turkey is asking the United States to let it purchase around 40 Lockheed Martin- F-16 fighter jets along with 80 modernization kits for its current planes, Reuters reports citing sources privy to the matter.
Beefing Up Turkish Air Force With F-16 Jets
Being NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) allies, Turkey has been acquiring military hardware from the US. Turkey currently has nearly 300 units of F-16s (F-16C and F-16D) in its air force fleet. All of these are Block 30/40/50 models. Turkey first acquired F-16s from the US in the 1980s, and has since been a regular buyer of the aircraft.
While Turkey is one of five countries that manufacture F-16s locally, any acquisition of the jet fighter needs to through the US. Worth billions of dollars, Turkey’s purchase request is currently undergoing the Foreign Military Sales process. The U.S. State Department and the U.S. Congress still have to approve the deal before it can push through. Either the State Department or the Congress can block the F-16 transaction.
"As a matter of policy, the Department does not confirm or comment on proposed defense sales or transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress," a spokesperson for the State Department was quoted by Reuters as saying.
US Already Declined F-35 Sale To Turkey
The request to purchase new F-16s and modernization kits was an interesting exposure, especially since the US had declined Turkey’s purchase order of more than 100 F-35 Lightning II jets. In particular, Washington removed Ankara from the F-35 Lightning II program after the latter‘s acquisition of the advanced S-400 Russian air defense system. The US claimed that Russia could use the S-400 to obtain classified data on the F-35 jets, adding that the system is incompatible with NATO systems.
Being an international program, the F-35 Lightning II is being produced by multiple countries, including Turkey. According to Daily Sabah, Turkish manufacturers have been involved in manufacturing hundreds of components of the jet, including engine propulsion system, center fuselage as well as parts for cockpit display systems and landing gear.
F-16 Purchase Not A Done Deal
With Turkey still removed from the F-35 Lightning II program, its request to purchase 40 new F-16 jets and 80 modernization kits is expected to face some opposition. The deal will likely be blocked especially that Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is eyeing to purchase another batch of S-400s from Russia, Daily Sabah said.
Source: Reuters, Daily Sabah