United States has proposed to sell a batch of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey as compensation on Turkey’s $1.4 billion investment in the U.S.-led multinational F-35 program that was reportedly canceled.
Turkey had committed to buy F-35 fighter jets from the US but the deal was cancelled and Turkey removed from the program after it decided to purchase the Russian-made S-400 long-range air and anti-missile defense system.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Biden administration has not delivered the two F-35s that was built for the Turkish military neither has US committed refund Turkey’s $1.4 billion payment for the aircraft, instead its proposing to sell it F-16s.
Turkey’s current fleet of more than 200 F-16s will be phased out by 2035. Nearly 100 aircraft in the fleet await upgrades. Th country is also struggling to build the TF-X, its first indigenous fighter jet, and is aiming to fly the stealth aircraft in 2025 or 2026.
