The US Congress has officially concluded its review of a notification submitted by President Joe Biden’s administration regarding the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, without any objections that could hinder the deal, as reported by the Turkish news agency Anadolu on Sunday.
The official 15-day review period ended on Saturday, following the notification’s arrival in Congress on January 26, marking the completion of a crucial phase in the F-16 sale agreement with Turkey.
According to Anadolu, except for Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who opposed the deal, no other senator expressed reservations about the sale of the jets to Turkey.
Additionally, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee did not take any legal action in line with Senator Paul’s objections to the deal.
Consequently, the 15-day period in Congress ended without any obstacles to initiating the sales process between the relevant institutions, by the US Arms Export Control Act.
US Ambassador to Ankara, Jeffrey Flake, described the Congressional approval of the sale of 40 new F-16 jets to Turkey and the upgrade of another 79 as a “significant step forward.”
This statement was made by Ambassador Flake in a comment posted on the US Embassy in Ankara’s account, reflecting on Congress’s approval.
Ambassador Flake emphasized the importance of Turkey’s F-16 fleet for the strength of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and its role in “ensuring future interoperability among allies.”
Under the Arms Export Control Act, the period for expressing reservations about arms deals in Congress is 15 days for NATO member countries and 30 days for non-member states.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee have the authority to review and object to arms sales to foreign countries.
