The present fleet of Turkish F-16 aircraft will be upgraded, with a total estimated cost of $259 million, according to the State Department of the United States. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced the probable sale on April 17, 2023. Now, US Congress authorization is necessary. The modernisation includes new avionics such as an Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System, as well as hardware and software updates. There was no information on how many planes were involved.
The DSCA stated that "the proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region" and that it "will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by helping to improve Turkey's interoperability with NATO and ensure the safety of flight for Turkey's existing F-16 aircraft." The two nations' first significant military deal in a long time is this upgrading.
A Turkish deal for more than 100 F-35 stealth fighter aircraft was canceled in July 2019. Washington and Ankara were at odds when the latter decided to buy S-400 missile systems built in Russia. The Turkish Air Force has been searching for options ever since to update its fighter jets. 40 Lockheed Martin F-16 Vipers, 79 modification kits for existing aircraft, and a variety of munitions were all requested by Turkey. The Biden administration may inform Congress of the prospective $20 billion deal. The Democratic head of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Bob Menendez, disagreed with the proposal.
Menendez said in a statement obtained by Politico, "As I have frequently stated, I strongly oppose the Biden administration's proposed sale of additional F-16 fighters to Turkey. Erdogan keeps undermining international law, disregarding human rights and democratic principles, and acting in a worrying and unstable way in Turkey and toward NATO partners nearby. Congress enacted an amendment in August 2022 requesting that President Joe Biden certify Turkey had not "violated the sovereignty of Greece, including through territorial overflights" for at least 120 days prior to the transfer of F-16 aircraft. Menendez said in a statement obtained by Politico, "As I have frequently stated, I strongly oppose the Biden administration's proposed sale of additional F-16 fighters to Turkey. Erdogan keeps undermining international law, disregarding human rights and democratic principles, and acting in a worrying and unstable way in Turkey and toward NATO partners nearby.