Top United States (US) officials took part in Ankara's plan to acquire the F-16. Instead of being approved for possession of the F-16, US lawmakers opposed the sale of the F-16 to Ankara.
The Turkish capital is now in danger of failing to have F-16 fighters and modernization packs. Even though Turkey is a member of NATO so it has influential diplomatic relations if the US does not sell its planes to Turkey.
It is not without reason that MPs are fierce towards Ankara so they are reluctant to sell F-16 aircraft. In fact, Turkey itself threw a tantrum for daring to buy S-400 missiles from Russia. The defense system purchased from Russia made Turkey a 'punishment' from the US not being able to buy the F-16.
Even so, Turkey could switch to buying the Rafale to replace the F-16. Turkey and the United States (US) will be tense if Ankara's request to buy 40 F-16 Block 70 aircraft from the United States is blocked by members of Congress and the Senate.
Turkey also applied to buy 80 modernized packs of F-16 aircraft from the United States. Based on information from Defense Security Asia, it was written that Ankara needed a new F-16 aircraft from the United States as well as a fighter modernization pack to enable it to replace and extend the life of the F-16 aircraft currently in use.
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar reportedly said that Turkey's existing F-16 aircraft are nearing the end of their service life, making procurement of new F-16 aircraft from the United States all the more critical.
The Mediterranean country is one of the largest users of the US-made F-16 aircraft with 270 diverse variants including the F-16C/D Block 30, Block 40 and Block 50 serving the Turkish Air Force.
The Turkish F-16 aircraft were built under license by a local company, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI). Negotiations with the United States currently involve the sale of 40 F-16 Block 70 aircraft, which are the most recent F-16s.
But Turkey's proposed purchase of F-16 aircraft, which should have gone smoothly given that Ankara is a member of NATO, just like the United States, became more complicated after the intervention of members of the country's Congress and Senate.
Members of the US Senate and Congress who oppose the sale of F-16 aircraft to Turkey are from Democrats and Republicans who are believed to be influenced by the reasons given by the supportive Greek lobby group in the country.
The Greek government did urge Washington and President Jo Biden not to allow Turkey to acquire 40 F-16s and pack modernization of aircraft. Unfortunately, US lawmakers are against the sale of F-16 aircraft to Turkey.
The US parliament's decision was a punishment for Ankara for stubbornly buying the S-400 air defense system from Russia. Turkey bought the S-400 air defense system after the United States refused to sell the Patriot air defense system.
The United States is concerned that the "S-400" air defense system will affect the security of NATO countries if the Russian-made air defense system is integrated with the NATO defense system.
Turkey, however, denies this, stating that the S-400 system operates alone without being integrated with European air defense systems.
Due to Turkey's stubbornness, the Mediterranean countries' participation in the F-35 aircraft development program was named and Turkey was also excluded from the program. Turkey has paid $1.4 billion to participate in the aircraft development program.
President Erdogan wants to use a $1.4 billion payment from the F-35 aircraft development program as a down payment to acquire 40 F-16 Block 70 aircraft and other equipment.
If Turkey fails to buy F-16 Block 70 aircraft from the United States, there are suggestions that Ankara should follow in the footsteps of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in choosing the Rafale aircraft made by Dassault Aviation from France. The UAE is buying 80 Rafale aircraft as the United States is seen scrambling to sell a number of fifth-generation F-35 fighter jets there.
But the prospect of Ankara giving the Rafale a plane is slim as relations with France are quite strained due to Paris's open support for Greece on the issue of the eastern Mediterranean waters.
In addition to the Rafale aircraft, Ankara has also been offered by Russia to buy its fighter jets, both the Su-35 and Su-75, which have already entered the service of the Russian air force.
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