According to the news of the US publication The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), which is based on US officials close to the subject, after Turkey’s role in the Ukraine war, the Biden administration increased its efforts on new weapons sales that could pave the way for the sale of F-16s.
MAY BE OFFICIAL IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS
Accordingly, the Biden administration sent an unofficial notification to the Senate and House of Representatives leaders last month, with a draft it prepared to sell some F-16 parts to Turkey, as well as missile and radar systems to be used in these planes, to Congress. If Congress leaders do not object to this sale, the official sale notification is expected to be made to Congress in the coming days.
Officials pointed out that Turkey’s leadership of the talks between Russia and Ukraine and its support of SİHA to the Ukrainian army were effective in this step of the Biden administration.
APPROVAL OF WEAPON SALES MAY OPEN F-16 SALES
In addition, the approval of this arms sale by the Congress, according to the authorities, drew attention to the fact that the sale of 40 F-16s to Turkey, which was on the public agenda, could pave the way for another arms sale in the Congress.
Pointing out that the package in question includes AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 Amraam missiles, as well as radar and other advanced equipment, an official stated that the package is worth 400 million dollars.
In a statement made to the Wall Street Journal from the US State Department, it was stated that they would not be able to comment on the proposal until it became official.
In the letter sent by the US State Department to Congress in March, it was evaluated that “the sale of F-16s to Turkey is in accordance with the national interests of the USA”. (AA)