Türkiye's military might set for significant boost
US greenlights F-16 sale
ANALYTICS 01 March 2024 - 15:45
Fuad Shahbazov |
On February 29, the US Senate overwhelmingly voted 13-79 against a resolution that would have blocked a $23 billion F-16 sale to Türkiye that the Biden administration approved in January 2024.
Türkiye has sought to lock down the sale, including 40 new F-16s made by Lockheed Martin and modernization kits for 79 fighter jets in its current fleet for several years. After stalling for more than a year, the State Department finally approved the sale when Türkiye ratified Sweden’s NATO membership. Ankara had made its ratification of Sweden’s membership contingent on the approval of the sale of the new jets.
Although the Biden administration initially agreed to F16 sales to Türkiye, the US lawmakers had expressed objections due to strained relations between Washington and Ankara. However, Ankara and Washington opted for diplomatic normalization shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine unfolded in 2022, causing global security threats. Notably, the full-scale invasion forced traditionally non-bloc countries like Finland and Sweden to seek NATO membership, which required Türkiye's confirmation. Indeed, Ankara pragmatically approached the issue by demanding F-16s and modernization kits in exchange for membership bids.
However, the approval process for Sweden's membership appeared tumultuous as Ankara and Stockholm found it hard to reach a consensus on certain issues. As a result, the US lawmakers were upholding an unofficial bargain that Türkiye would get the fighter jets if it stopped blocking Sweden's accession to NATO.
The sale had been held up for months over issues, including Türkiye's refusal to approve Sweden's accession to the military alliance. Türkiye first asked to purchase in October 2021. Earlier, the US expelled Türkiye from the F-35 co-production program in 2019 over Ankara’s purchase of the S-400 missile defense system due to fears Moscow could use its advanced radar system to spy on the stealth fighter jets.
Although the membership issue has been solved and Sweden ascended into the alliance, some Republican lawmakers such as Rand Paul attempted to block the sale, calling it "an extortion by Ankara", though the Senate rejected Paul's motion.
Consequently, Sweden's NATO membership is not the only source of concern for the US Senate as many conservatives and liberals in the country blame Türkiye for its “unprovoked attacks” of Kurdish militia in northern Syria, which consists of mainly PYD members, an affiliation of the notorious Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist organization. Moreover, Ankara’s strong support to Azerbaijan and its deal with Russia to buy its S400 missile defense system and other matters.
Nevertheless, seemingly, Ankara's greenlight to Finland and Sweden to join NATO at a critical time was too important to the overall strategic interests of the Western military alliance.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine presented a strategic imperative for Sweden’s NATO accession. As for Türkiye, the sale would upgrade the country’s aging F-16 fleet to a more capable model, a model that is compatible with the United States.
In this vein, the fears of some US lawmakers stem from the fact that modernized additional F-16 fighter jets will significantly boost Ankara’s military capabilities against radical terrorist organizations in its close vicinity. Moreover, it will somehow enable Türkiye to maintain the balance of power in the Aegean Sea as its neighboring country, Greece, received the US approval for F-35s at the same time. Washington likely did so to avoid the appearance of favoritism between the two NATO members and to avoid altering the balance of airpower over the Aegean Sea in Greece’s favor.
Hence, the sale of F-35 aircraft to Greece will provide a significant increase in capability as well as interoperability with NATO forces. However, the current positive dynamics of Ankara-Athens relations suggest that the sale of F-35s to Greece will unlikely trigger discontent in Türkiye. This is also another reason the Biden administration quickly confirmed both countries' bids regarding new fighter jets.
Caliber.Az
1
|
Phantom arms deal: How false claims aim to derail Baku-Tehran diplomacy Azerbaijan embraces "forewarned is forearmed" principle
25 July 2024 - 15:34
|
2
|
Could France’s anti-NATO rhetoric trigger domestic turmoil? Leftist Mélenchon's stance sparks historical echoes
24 July 2024 - 10:24
|
3
|
Azerbaijan: The new powerhouse of aluminium production amid global market strain "Green" era's requirement
25 July 2024 - 17:05
|
4
|
Brussels' bait and Yerevan's rush to swallow it The visa-free temptation
24 July 2024 - 09:00
|
5
|
West-backed Armenia likely to spark conflict with Azerbaijan rather than seek peace Caliber.Az reveals expert prognoses
25 July 2024 - 11:10
|
Japan addressing increasing incidents of customer harassment
Service culture under strain27 July 2024 - 03:05
Swiss spots struggle with social media-driven visitor impact
Tourism vs. nature27 July 2024 - 01:03
German chancellor tackles EU expansion, internal reform challenges
Path forward26 July 2024 - 23:03
Italian newspaper explores Azerbaijan's ancient Albanian churches
26 July 2024 - 21:08
Azerbaijani prosecutor general declares ties with Türkiye as strategic partnership
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 20:55
Azerbaijan, Italy strengthening military relations
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 20:42
China demands withdrawal of US nuclear weapons from Europe
26 July 2024 - 20:29
Pentagon concedes to spreading anti-Sinovac propaganda in Philippines
26 July 2024 - 20:16
COP29 presidency team hosts events to tackle key climate agenda issues
26 July 2024 - 20:03
Israel targets Türkiye’s TRT Haber team covering Al-Aqsa mosque incident
26 July 2024 - 19:51
COP20 president: Azerbaijan should lead with ambition at COP29
26 July 2024 - 19:38
Turkish defence minister, Azerbaijani ambassador discuss strengthening military ties
26 July 2024 - 19:25
FBI seeking to interview Trump as part of assassination attempt investigation
26 July 2024 - 19:12
US presidential candidate cites potential path to victory with Biden out of race
26 July 2024 - 18:58
Turkish MP confirms plans for official Azerbaijani school in Istanbul
26 July 2024 - 18:44
US vice president’s call for peace in Gaza sparks controversy with Israel
26 July 2024 - 18:30
FM: Italy to appoint ambassador to Syria after 10 years
26 July 2024 - 18:17
Head of Georgian Parliament blames opposition for compromising national safety
Aid to Ukraine at Georgia’s expense26 July 2024 - 18:03
South Caucasus on edge: West fuels Armenia's war drums
Yerevan clings to deceitful rhetoric26 July 2024 - 18:02
Media: Iran arms Hezbollah with advanced weapons
26 July 2024 - 17:49
Bolsonaro intends to run for Brazilian presidency in 2026, citing confidence in winning
26 July 2024 - 17:36
Armenian PM visits modernised Margara checkpoint on Turkish border
VIDEO26 July 2024 - 17:22
Boeing considers to convert its top fighter into an electronic warfare jet
Caliber.Az on YouTube26 July 2024 - 17:17
Belarus ready to expand cooperation with North Korea
26 July 2024 - 17:09
EU appoints new special representative for South Caucasus
26 July 2024 - 17:01
Azerbaijani-Chinese partnership defies "first among equals" attitudes
Rising above geopolitical cynicism26 July 2024 - 16:55
Armenia's militarization: A "peace agenda" with an armed approach
Yerevan must revisit recent historical lessons26 July 2024 - 16:42
Azerbaijan approves cooperation pacts with Türkiye, Kazakhstan
26 July 2024 - 16:33
Media: US informs Iran of readiness to return to nuclear deal
26 July 2024 - 16:29
Turkish forces take down PKK terrorists in coordinated Iraq and Syria raids
VIDEO26 July 2024 - 16:16
Israeli air strikes hit Hezbollah outposts in response to rocket fire
26 July 2024 - 16:03
Kremlin spox: EU ridicules Orban over Moscow visit
26 July 2024 - 15:51
Armenian parliamentary delegation visits Georgia to strengthen bilateral ties
26 July 2024 - 15:38
Washington talks peace while arming Yerevan
26 July 2024 - 15:38
Travellers from 13 nations explore rebuilding of Karabakh, East Zangazur
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 15:25
European Commission transfers €1.5 billion from frozen Russian assets to aid Ukraine's defence
26 July 2024 - 15:25
Trump says US to destroy Iran in case of his assassination
26 July 2024 - 15:12
Kremlin declares dialogue with West futile amid hostility toward Russia
26 July 2024 - 14:59
Somalia, Azerbaijan share common positions on many international forums
Minister’s statement26 July 2024 - 14:46
Azerbaijan promoting tourism potential in India
PHOTO26 July 2024 - 14:33