Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Turkey is likely to get F-16 fighter jets from the United States (US). President Recep Tayyip Erdogan mentioned that the US proposed the sale of the plane to his country.
The proposed sale, according to Erdoan, was in return for investment in the F-35 stealth fighter jet program which had involved Turkey. However, Turkey was removed from the list of countries participating in the F-35 program after Turkey purchased the missile defense system from Russia.
Erdogan said this before his visit to West Africa. He said Turkey wants a return on investment in the F-35 and the talks are still ongoing.
“There was a $1.4 billion payment for the F-35 and the US had that proposal (F-16) in return for the payment,” Erdogan was quoted as saying Channel News Asia, Sunday (17/10/2021).
“And regarding this, we said let’s take the necessary steps to meet the defense needs of this country,” he added. He also said the new F-16s would aid development on the fleet.
Earlier this month, Reuters reported Turkey submitted a request to buy 40 F-16 jets from the US made by Lockheed Marin. As well as nearly 80 modernization kits for this fighter.
Meanwhile, the F-35 problem occurred after Turkey ordered 100 of the model jets from the US. However, Turkey was eventually removed from the list of countries participating in the F-35 program in 2019 after Turkey acquired Russia’s S-400 missile defense system.
The purchase in fact also resulted in sanctions from the US. Washington appointed Turkey’s Defense Industry Directorate, Ismail Demir, who served as chief of the agency, along with three other employees last December.
Since then, the US government has frequently warned Turkey not to buy weapons from Russia. But it looks like the country will still do it.
Because Erdoan indicated that he had a desire to buy a second batch of S-400s. If this becomes a reality, it is likely to further fracture US-Turkish relations.
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