The US agreed Monday to sell Turkey $259 million in software it has long sought to upgrade its fleet of US F-16 fighter jets. State Department approval of the sale comes about two weeks after Turkey dropped its objections to Finland joining NATO.
Turkey continues to withhold its approval for Sweden to join the military alliance. NATO requires unanimous approval to admit new members.Turkey also still wants to buy 40 new F-16s from the US, but some in Congress oppose the sale until Turkey approves NATO membership for both Nordic countries. Turkey fell out of grace with the US on high-tech military aircraft purchases after it decided in 2017 to acquire Russian air-defence missiles. Turkey was kicked out of a US programme to develop the next-generation F-35 fighter plane and Turkish defence officials were sanctioned.
