US Congress to Block Any Attempts to Sell F-16 Fighters to Turkey

The US Congress will block any attempts to sell F-16 fighters to Turkey. A group of lawmakers from both parties has urged the Biden administration not to sell the aircraft to Turkey and declared that Congress will prohibit any such efforts, as reported by Voice of America.

In a written appeal directed to President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 11 legislators expressed deep concern about recent reports suggesting that Turkey may purchase 40 F-16 fighters from the US and 80 kits for modernizing those planes.

“After President Erdoğan announced in September that Turkey would acquire an additional batch of Russian S-400 missile defense systems, we cannot jeopardize our national security by sending American planes to an ally that continues to act as an adversary,” the appeal stated.

Previously, Ankara had ordered more than 100 F-35 bombers, but the US excluded Turkey from the F-35 program in 2019 due to Ankara's purchase of Russian S-400s.