The US Congress has approved a significant $23 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, marking a notable advancement in the military and diplomatic relations between the two nations. This deal includes 40 F-16 warplanes, along with missiles and bombs, and follows Turkey's ratification of Sweden's NATO membership, indicating a strategic move to strengthen NATO's capabilities and ensure interoperability among allies. The approval process went through without any holds from US senators within the legally prescribed 15-day review period, showcasing a smooth transition towards the finalization of this deal. US Ambassador Flake and Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-16s, have been credited for their roles in facilitating this agreement. President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey welcomed the conclusion of the sale, although he noted that the delivery of the F-16s to Turkey would not be immediate, as other countries are also in line for F-16 deliveries. The American Embassy in Ankara stated that Turkey's F-16 fleet is 'critical to strengthening NATO'.
President Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey and the United States are increasingly agreeing on more issues, pointing to a positive trend in relations as the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey moved forward, Turkish media said on Thursday. https://t.co/8kAmMlqXFv
"Lockheed Martin expects increasing international demand to keep its F-35 production line running at pace amid a potential reduction in U.S. buys of the aircraft." https://t.co/Cn0PBwAV7m https://t.co/RTsdJd2H1N
$LMT ❖ LOCKHEED WORKING ON DEAL TO SELL 40 F-16 FIGHTERS TO TURKEY
Lockheed Martin to sell $23 billion worth of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey - https://t.co/ncT6PDRPxv
US Moves Forward With $23BN Warplane Sale To Turkey https://t.co/IaLwdRWOLW
"This is now finalized; however, it doesn't mean Ankara will get F-16s tomorrow. Other countries are waiting to get F-16 deliveries,” he told @AlMonitor #Turkey’s Erdogan welcomes ‘conclusion’ of F-16 sale from US https://t.co/4UqcrF935t
Turkey’s Erdogan welcomes ‘conclusion’ of F-16 sale from US, @Ezgi_Akin reports https://t.co/ZBzKhcaRiB
US moves forward with $23 billion sale of warplanes and missiles to Turkey https://t.co/SQiabW9ZAs https://t.co/TZgZwCXD4y
The US moved ahead with a $23 billion sale of F-16 warplanes, missiles and bombs to Turkey https://t.co/T9sPRBffez via @SelcanHacaoglu
The US Congress approved the sale of 40 F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, - American Embassy in Ankara "This is a big step forward. Turkey's F-16 fleet is critical to strengthening NATO, ensuring future interoperability between allies," the diplomatic agency said in a statement. https://t.co/5DwWjycK9c
The US moved ahead with a $23 billion sale of F-16 warplanes, missiles and bombs to long-time ally Turkey after Ankara’s ratification of Sweden’s membership in NATO https://t.co/svjhu72ev8
US Congress approves Türkiye’s F-16 fighter jet purchase request for $23 billion. The legally prescribed 15-day review process was completed without any obstruction to stop the sale. Now, there are no obstacles to the start of the sale process between the relevant institutions. https://t.co/ZXKox6iMo7
NEW: US Congress approves a $23bn F-16 sale to Turkey as no US senator puts a hold on the process during the given timeframe. Big progress considering the years of distrust between the two NATO allies. And US Ambassador Flake must also get a big chunk of credit for his… https://t.co/rFdJCJjEvW