After congressional committee leaders gave unofficial approval, knowledgeable sources said the administration of US President Joe Biden is ready to move forward with the sale of an upgrade package for existing Turkish F-16s.
NATO member Turkey’s order to purchase billions of dollars worth of F-16s remains unclear amid persistent opposition in Congress.
Sources said the US State Department could send the official notice of the smaller sale, which includes the radars and avionics, by Monday.
If approved by Congress during the official approval process, the package will be Turkey’s first major military sale approved by Congress in years.
According to Reuters, a State Department spokesperson declined to comment, stating that the ministry would not comment on proposed defense transfers or sales until formally notified to Congress.
“There are deep defense and security relations between the United States and Turkey, and continued Turkey-NATO interoperability remains a critical priority,” the spokesperson said.
