US lawmakers signal support for possible F-16 sale to Türkiye

Several key lawmakers who were instrumental in Ankara's removal from F-35 programme are now potentially inclined to approve the sale of 40 F-16 fighters and 80 kits to modernise Ankara's existing fleet, according to Defense News website.

Türkiye made the request for the F-16s and modernisation kits in October and Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu said last month talks were "progressing positively."
AP

Türkiye made the request for the F-16s and modernisation kits in October and Turkish FM Mevlut Cavusoglu said last month talks were "progressing positively."

Lawmakers pivotal to Türkiye's purchase of dozens of F-16 fighter jets have indicated they are receptive to the sale, according to a US-based Defense News website. 

"Several key lawmakers" who were instrumental in Türkiye's removal from the F-35 programme told the news website that they are now potentially inclined to approve the sale of 40 F-16 fighters, and 80 kits to modernise Ankara's existing fleet.

"We need to talk and work with Türkiye and others that are working with us against Russia," House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Gregory Meeks, a Democrat, told Defense News

"They’ve shown some movements in the right direction. There [are] other things that we still need to work with Türkiye, certain things that still irritate us at times."

"I’ve talked to several of the parties involved in this," Senator James Risch, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's top Republican said. "The Turks have made a credible argument for why they should get the F-16s."

"I'm positively disposed in that direction, but I'm not completely there yet," he added.

The Biden administration previously signalled its approval of the sale in a letter to Congress.

The matter had been complicated by Ankara's purchase of the advanced Russian S-400 anti-air system, which has led to an ongoing row with Washington that resulted in sanctions and Türkiye's expulsion from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme.

READ MORE: Ankara’s F-16 bid “will test US approach towards Turkey”

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Türkiye's role in global issues

The apparent bipartisan openness to the deal comes after Congress and the administration have lauded Türkiye's diplomatic efforts with Russia, and provision of much-needed armaments to Ukraine during Moscow's ongoing assault on its eastern European neighbor.

"We expect Türkiye to continue standing with its NATO allies who are in lockstep in supporting Ukraine as it defends its homeland," said the office of congressman Mike McCaul, the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"We expect that should the administration seek congressional authorisation for this sale, Türkiye will still be playing a constructive role in the conflict, but also addressing concerns over Türkiye's role in other global conflicts," it added.

The Turkish government made the request for the F-16s and modernisation kits in October, and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on April 8 that the talks were "progressing positively."

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith, a key Democrat, acknowledged the "need to find some way to" restore the bilateral relationship with Ankara.

“The president’s probably spot on in terms of trying to balance it. It's hard because the S-400 complicated our relationship in many ways, but it's not a relationship we can walk away from," he said.

READ MORE: Blinken: US should remove hurdles from military sales to Türkiye, India

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Menendez holds gate

Still, Democratic Senator Bob Menendez, who, as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, can block the sale, signaled a less willing take on the F-16s.

"At some point, we have to decide is Türkiye the type of NATO ally that we expect or not,” Menendez told the news website. 

"It acts in ways that are contrary to our interests in a whole host of things. I think the administration has to stop seeing from the aspirational part of what we would like Türkiye to be and realise that Türkiye is under Erdogan," he said, referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Biden administration has on several occasions signalled its openness to the sale, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said last Thursday that foreign military sales to key US partners like Türkiye should be expedited and bureaucratic hurdles removed.

Asked during congressional testimony what the Biden administration can do "to cut through the red tape to help our work with our allies such as Turkey and India," Blinken acknowledged that the processes need to be hurried at both the executive and congressional levels.

"I think that we can and should do better in sales, particularly in the rapidity with which we're able to do things, review things. I think that's on us in the executive branch. It's also on Congress," he told the House Appropriations Committee.

READ MORE: Turkey to evaluate alternatives if US turns down F-16 deal

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State Department letter

Naz Durakoglu, the State Department's top official for legislative affairs, acknowledged last month in a letter to Congressman Frank Pallone the ongoing tensions over additional arms sales to Türkiye but maintained that the sanctions and Türkiye's removal from the F-35 fighter jet programme represent "a significant price paid" for its acquisition of Russia's S-400 missile defence system.

"The Administration believes that there are nonetheless compelling long-term NATO alliance unity and capability interests, as well as US national security, economic and commercial interests that are supported by appropriate US defense trade ties with Türkiye," Durakoglu told the House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman, according to the Reuters news agency.

READ MORE: Biden administration: F-16 sale to Türkiye in US, NATO interests

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