Turkey has requested to buy 40 US-made F-16 fighter jets and dozens of modernization kits for plane it already owns, in response to stories in each the Greek and the Turkish press.
Information of the request, which has not been publicly confirmed by the US State Division, comes simply days after Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated his authorities was planning to broaden protection ties with Russia.
America kicked Turkey out of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program in 2019 after NATO ally Ankara bought Russia’s S-400 air defense system. US officers have stated the Russian {hardware} poses a menace to the safety of the know-how included within the Lockheed-Martin-made F-35.
Erdogan has more and more sought to play on his relationship with Russia to realize concessions from Washington, however the current US administration is having little of it.
Final yr the Trump administration imposed restricted sanctions focusing on Turkey’s essential authorities protection manufacturing physique. The sanctions block new US export licenses for the Turkish Presidency of Protection Industries (SSB), however exceptions will be made.
The Biden administration has promised so as to add extra penalties if Ankara purchases further main Russian {hardware}.
Erdogan just lately stated that his authorities will go ahead with plans to acquire additional S-400 models, defying Washington’s warnings.
Through the UN Basic Meeting summit final month the Turkish president failed to attain a desired assembly with President Joe Biden, however the two are anticipated to talk nose to nose on the finish of October on the G-20 summit in Rome.
Ties between the 2 allies have reached a nadir for the reason that S-400 buy. US support for Kurdish-led militias in Syria amid the multinational warfare towards the Islamic State solely worsened issues with Ankara, which considers the fighters to be terrorists and fears better Kurdish autonomy.
The most recent multi-billion-dollar arms request would possible proceed easily beneath regular circumstances, however Erdogan’s insurance policies, together with on home human rights, have aroused unprecedented opposition in Congress.
Lawmakers from each events have inspired the Biden administration to take a harder stance in direction of Ankara, pushing it into a fragile balancing act with its NATO ally on the Bosporus.
