The US government has authorized the potential sale of an avionics suite for the Turkish Air Force’s F-16 fighters.. This is how the State Department was able to report on the day of history, April 17, through the official notification, according to which the US Congress is informed of a possible sale of military equipment.
Thanks for the info from Defense and Security Cooperation AgencyD (DSCA), The Turkish government has asked the United States to provide various equipment and components to upgrade the avionics systems of its F-16 fighters.. The above package includes updates such as: Anti-collision system update; for aviation management programs; hardware modifications to update block II of the information distribution system; In addition to providing rated and unrated software improvements.
The authorized package amount for the Turkish Air Force’s F-16 fleet is $259,000,000.. As a major supplier to Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company.
However, the aforementioned package of avionics improvements for the Turkish F-16 is only a minor component of the larger caliber negotiations and implications between Turkey and the United States. Since the NATO member country continues negotiations with the administration of President Biden to provide modernization kits for the Bloc 70 of the aforementioned fighters.. Which shows great delays such as coming and going, while the US Congress has shown on more than one occasion its fears and hesitation in completing the potential process.
The question is not simple for Turkey, nor for the United States. As the upgrade package for Turkish F-16s to Block 70 version could amount to more than $6,000. Millions. By providing up to 80 aircraft improvement kit. Discovery with that hesitation within the Democratic Party. This was reported at the beginning of January by Senator Bob Menendez, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who officially declared that “As I have made clear time and time again, I am strongly opposed to the Biden administration’s proposal to sell new F-16s to Turkey.“.
Adding through the previous data that “Until Erdoğan stops his threats… and starts acting as a reliable ally, I will not agree to this sale.Referring to the accusations against the Turkish government of violating human rights; adding that hisDisturbing and destabilizing behavior in Türkiye and against neighboring NATO alliesIn a clear reference to the conflicting relations that the country maintains with Greece, which is another member of the coalition.
Regarding the awareness of the potential sale of the Turkish F-16 upgrade package, the State Department stated that: “This proposed sale will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve Turkey’s interoperability with NATO and ensuring the flight safety of existing F-16s.Adding:The proposed sale will enhance Turkey’s ability to deal with current and future threats and help defend its homeland and American personnel stationed there.“.
*Images used for illustration purposes.
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