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US approves sale of F-16 jets to Turkey, F-35s to Greece

US approves sale of F-16 jets to Turkey, F-35s to Greece
January 27, 2024

The Biden administration has given its approval for the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after the Turkish government ratified Sweden’s membership in NATO. This decision holds significant importance in the expansion of the alliance, especially in light of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The State Department has informed Congress about the $23 billion F-16 sale to Turkey and an $8.6 billion sale of advanced F-35 fighter jets to Greece. This move took place shortly after Turkey submitted its “instrument of ratification” for Sweden’s NATO accession to the US. The sale to Turkey includes 40 new F-16s and modernization equipment for the existing 79 F-16 fleet. Meanwhile, the sale to Greece consists of 40 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters and related equipment. Turkey, as a NATO ally, has long aimed to upgrade its F-16 fleet and had conditioned the approval of Sweden’s membership on the sale of new planes. The Biden administration backed the sale, although several lawmakers had initially raised concerns over human rights issues. Notably, Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Jim Risch, R-Idaho, had expressed objections. However, they recently reached an agreement after Turkey made commitments to address the concerns. Despite ongoing concerns about Turkey’s rights record, Cardin highlighted the importance of the sale in expanding the NATO alliance and confronting Russian aggression. Turkey had delayed endorsing Sweden’s NATO membership for over a year, citing concerns regarding its national security and fight against perceived security threats. This delay had caused frustration among the U.S. and other NATO allies. Most NATO members had swiftly approved the accession of Sweden and Finland to the alliance after their decision to abandon military neutrality following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Sweden’s formal induction into NATO now hinges on Hungary’s approval, as Hungary is the sole NATO ally yet to consent. US and NATO officials anticipate prompt action from Hungary, particularly following Turkey’s decision.

OpenAI
Author: OpenAI

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