Congress approves Turkey’s acquisition of F-16 jets – U.S. diplomat
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Jeff Flake, U.S. ambassador to Ankara, said on Sunday that the U.S. Congress has approved Turkey’s acquisition of F-16 fighter jets.
The U.S. State Department approved the sale of F-16 aircrafts to Turkey for $23 billion at the end of January.
“Congress’s decision this week to approve Turkey’s acquisition of 40 new and 79 upgraded F-16 aircraft is a great step forward,” Flake said in a statement posted by the U.S. Embassy in Ankara on its Social Media accounts.
The Turkish Parliament ratified Sweden’s bid to join NATO in January. This came nearly 20 months after Stockholm submitted a membership application to the Western bloc in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The ambassador further stated that Turkey’s F-16 fleet is critical for NATO’s strength.