The $23 billion deal was finalized after Turkey's parliament ratified Sweden's long-delayed NATO membership.
The US has accepted the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey after the Turkish parliament this week ratified Sweden's membership in NATO.
The US State Division notified Congress of the $23 billion deal to promote warplanes to NATO ally Turkey on Friday night time, together with an $8.6 billion sale of superior F-35 fighters in Greece, additionally an ally within the Western navy bloc.
The division's notification got here hours after Turkey deposited its “ratification instrument” for Sweden's accession to NATO with Washington, which is the repository for the alliance's paperwork and after a number of key members of Congress raised their objections.
The sale to Turkey contains 40 Lockheed Martin F-16s and tools to modernize 79 of its present F-16 fleet. Greece will obtain 40 F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters and associated tools.
Turkey has lengthy sought to improve its F-16 fleet and requested the jets in October 2021, however its delay in approving Sweden's NATO bid has change into an impediment to profitable Congressional approval.
Ankara had made the ratification of the membership of Sweden to the approval of the sale of the brand new plans.
Considerations of the USA
President Joe Biden's administration had supported the sale, however a number of lawmakers have expressed objections due to Turkey's human rights file.
“My approval of Turkey's request to purchase the F-16 plane was depending on the Turkish approval of Sweden's membership in NATO. However make no mistake: it was not a choice that I took it calmly,” stated Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin, chairman of the Senate International Relations Committee, one in every of 4 key committees that should approve arms transfers.
“I look ahead to starting this new chapter in our relationship with Turkey, increasing the NATO alliance, and dealing with our international allies to confront ongoing Russian aggression towards its peaceable neighbors,” he stated. .
Congress has 15 days to oppose the sale, after which it’s thought-about remaining.
Ankara had delayed its approval of Sweden's NATO membership for greater than a yr, apparently as a result of it believed that Stockholm didn’t take Turkey's nationwide safety points severely sufficient, together with its battle towards Kurdish fighters and different teams it considers to be safety threats.
The delays have annoyed the USA and different NATO allies, virtually all of whom have been prepared to simply accept Sweden and Finland into the alliance after the Nordic states deserted their long-standing navy neutrality following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022.
Finland turned the thirty first member of the alliance in April.
All eyes are actually on Hungary, which is the one NATO member to again Sweden's bid. US and NATO officers stated they count on Hungary to behave shortly, particularly after Turkey's determination.
