Turkish Defense Ministry confirms continuation of negotiations with Washington to obtain 40 F-16 fighter jets

The Turkish Defense Ministry announced the continuation of its negotiations with Washington to obtain a deal that includes 40 modernized F-16 fighter jets. A responsible source in the Turkish Defense Ministry stated in a press statement today that the details of the deal and the decisions that will be taken after the negotiations related to it will be announced at a later time, indicating that Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, who is currently in Washington, will work to discuss the technical details regarding it within the framework of the NATO summit held in the United States of America. Regarding strengthening the partnership in the field of defense industries between Turkey and America, the source explained that the level that the Turkish defense industries have recently reached has attracted the attention of the United States and NATO, as well as the whole world, adding that Minister Guler will discuss cooperation between Turkish and American defense industry bodies and how the gains that will be a chieved will contribute to strengthening NATO. Turkish Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus stressed that Turkey's exclusion from the F-35 project is a "dangerous double standard," stressing Turkey's ability to produce what it needs from defense industries if its allies ignore its needs in this area. He said: "Turkey was excluded from a project that it founded from the beginning without any reasonable justification, and Turkey has become a country capable of competing in the world in these areas, and as a sovereign state, it takes into account its national security priorities as it takes into account its alliances." It is noteworthy that the US State Department had officially notified Congress on January 26 of its approval of the deal to sell 40 F-16 fighters to Turkey, in addition to updating its current fleet. On February 10, the official period of 15 days after the notification reached Congress ended, thus ending the most important stage in the deal to sell F-16 fighters to Turkey, as no senator expresse d reservations about the deal to sell the fighters to Turkey, except for Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee took no legal action in line with Senator Paul's objection to the deal, which included Turkey's request from the United States for 40 new F-16 Block 70 fighters, and equipment to modernize 79 fighters in the Turkish military's fleet. Source: National Iraqi News Agency