US Approves F-16 Sale to Turkey After NATO-Sweden Accord

Erdogan had been seeking the $23 billion F-16 deal since 2021
Greece, Turkey’s neighbor, will be buying warplanes as well

The deal, which will allow Turkey to purchase as many as 40 F-16 Block 70 aircraft and 79 kits to modernize its existing fleet, has been stuck for months. — The deal, which will allow Turkey to purchase as many as 40 F-16 Block 70 aircraft and 79 kits to modernize its existing fleet, has been stuck for months.
Photographer: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg

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By Iain Marlow

January 27, 2024 at 3:42 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The State Department said Friday night that it had approved the long-delayed sale of F-16 warplanes to Turkey in a delicately orchestrated arrangement with Ankara supporting Sweden’s membership in NATO, and Greece buying fighters from the US.

The formal US government approval on Friday came two days after President Joe Biden sent a letter to congressional lawmakers urging them to approve the sale, valued at as much as $23 billion, which Turkey had sought since 2021.