The reduced deal, valued at $7 billion, will cover the purchase of the 40 new jets and associated ammunition…reports Asian Lite News
Turkey has scaled back its $23 billion F-16 acquisition from the United States, cancelling the purchase of 79 modernisation kits for its existing fleet, Defence Minister Yasar Guler announced on Tuesday.
In a parliamentary session, Guler explained that Turkey had already made an initial payment of $1.4 billion for 40 new F-16 Block-70 Viper jets and would no longer need the modernisation kits as its domestic Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) facilities are capable of carrying out the upgrades.
The reduced deal, valued at $7 billion, will cover the purchase of the 40 new jets and associated ammunition.
The original agreement, signed in 2021, followed Turkey’s expulsion from the U.S.-led F-35 program due to its acquisition of a Russian missile defence system.
Turkey also aims to rejoin the F-35 program and purchase 40 new jets. With a fleet of over 200 older F-16s, Turkey is exploring additional options, including the Eurofighter Typhoon jets and its own homegrown combat aircraft, the KAAN.
Recenlty, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held a phone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, discussing bilateral relations and regional and global issues, according to Erdogan’s office.
During the phone talk, Erdogan said that the two sides aimed to enhance cooperation in various fields, particularly the expansion of bilateral trade volume, Xinhua news agency reported.
Meanwhile, the Turkish President pledged that his country will continue to contribute to the peace process.
Turkey, which maintains good relations with both Ukraine and Russia, has been acting as a mediator between the two countries since their conflict broke out in February 2022.
On Wednesday, Erdogan said the US decision to allow Kyiv to deploy its long-range missiles for strikes inside Russia is “a move aimed at fueling the war”.
“It appears to be a move aimed at fueling the war, ensuring it does not end, and even encouraging its spread,” Erdogan told reporters on his flight back to Turkey from Brazil, where he attended the G20 summit, according to a report by semi-official Anadolu Agency.
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