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WASHINGTON:Turkey has made a request to the U.S. to purchase 40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16 fighter jets and practically 80 modernization kits for its current warplanes, because the NATO ally appears to be like to modernize its Air Power after the acquisition of F-35 jets fell via, sources aware of the matter mentioned.
The deal, value billions, remains to be working its manner via the Overseas Army Gross sales course of which is topic to approval by the U.S. State Division in addition to the U.S. Congress which may block offers.
The folks spoke on situation of anonymity to debate the deal.
“As a matter of coverage, the Division doesn’t affirm or touch upon proposed protection gross sales or transfers till they’ve been formally notified to Congress,” a spokesperson for the State Division mentioned. The Turkish Embassy in Washington declined to remark.
Ankara had ordered greater than 100 F-35 jets, additionally made by Lockheed Martin Corp, however was faraway from this system in 2019 after it acquired Russian S-400 missile protection techniques.
The decades-old partnership between the NATO allies has gone via unprecedented tumult up to now 5 years over disagreements on Syria coverage, Ankara’s nearer ties with Moscow, its naval ambitions within the jap Mediterranean, U.S. expenses in opposition to a state-owned Turkish financial institution and erosion of rights and freedoms in Turkey.
The request for the jets will doubtless have a troublesome time getting approval from the U.S. Congress, the place sentiment in direction of Turkey has soured deeply over latest years, primarily because of Ankara’s buy of the S-400s and its problematic human rights observe document.
Ankara’s buy of the S-400s has additionally triggered U.S. sanctions. In December 2020, Washington blacklisted Turkey’s Protection Trade Directorate, its chief, Ismail Demir, and three different workers.
Since then the U.S. has repeatedly warned Turkey in opposition to shopping for additional Russian weaponry. However final week, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan indicated Ankara nonetheless meant to purchase a second batch of S-400s from Russia, a transfer that would deepen a rift with Washington.
There may be bipartisan help in U.S. Congress to push the Biden administration to place additional strain on Ankara, primarily over its buy of Russian weapons and its human rights observe document.
Ankara has mentioned it hopes for higher ties below U.S. President Joe Biden.
Stories of the Turkish request have been first reported by Greek protection outlet Protection Evaluate.
Disclaimer: This publish has been auto-published from an company feed with none modifications to the textual content and has not been reviewed by an editor
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