Turkey and the United States have finalized a significant deal for the sale of F-16 fighter jets, announced Turkish defense ministry sources on Thursday. This follows months of negotiations and approval from Washington for the $23 billion contract.
According to ministry sources, the contract has been signed, and discussions between delegations from both sides are ongoing to finalize the details.
Under the terms of the agreement, Turkey will receive 40 new F-16s and upgrades for 79 of its existing jets.
Last week, the US State Department celebrated the milestone as “a major step forward” in Turkey’s acquisition of these advanced fighter jets, highlighting that they are “the most advanced F-16 ever made available only to closest Allies and partners.”
The State Department emphasized this deal as a demonstration of the US commitment to its security partnership with Turkey, labeling it as “just the latest example” of this enduring alliance.
In compliance with US law, the State Department formally notified Congress of the agreement in January, alongside another $8.6 billion sale of 40 F-35s to Greece.
Approval from the United States was contingent upon Turkey’s fulfillment of certain conditions, including ratifying Sweden’s NATO membership, a step that Turkey’s parliament completed in January after significant delays.
Turkey’s President Erdogan is expected to attend a NATO leaders’ summit in Washington next month, underscoring ongoing diplomatic engagements between Turkey and its allies.
Previously scheduled talks between President Erdogan and US counterpart Joe Biden were postponed last month due to logistical issues, marking their first planned meeting at the White House.
