WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic and Republican U.S. administrators encouraged President Joe Biden’s organization not to sell F-16 contender planes to Turkey and said they were sure Congress would impede any such commodities.
In a letter to Biden and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 11 individuals from the House of Representatives refered to “a significant feeling of worry” about ongoing reports that Turkey might buy 40 new Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) F-16s and 80 F-16 modernization packs.
The letter was dated Oct. 25 and surveyed by Reuters on Tuesday.
“Following President (Tayyip) Erdogan’s September declaration that Turkey will buy an extra tranche of Russian S-400 rocket guard frameworks, we can’t bear to think twice about public safety by sending U.S.- made airplane to a deal partner which keeps on acting like a foe,” the administrators composed.
The White House didn’t promptly react to a solicitation for input. A State Department representative said the office doesn’t remark on correspondence with Congress.
Reuters detailed recently https://www.reuters.com/world/center east/turkey-looks for 40-f-16-jets-overhaul flying corps sources-2021-10-07 that Turkey had made a solicitation to the United States to purchase 40 Lockheed Martin-made F-16 contender jets and almost 80 modernization packs for its current warplanes.
Ankara had additionally recently requested in excess of 100 Lockheed Martin F-35s, however the United States eliminated Turkey from the program in 2019 after it obtained the Russian S-400s.
The letter was driven by Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis and Democratic Representative Carolyn Maloney.
“While we are certain that Congress will stand together to impede any such commodities should these plans progress, the United States can’t bear to move any high level military gear to the public authority of Turkey as of now,” the letter said.
The association between the NATO partners has gone through tumult in the beyond five years over conflicts on Syria, Ankara’s nearer attaches with Moscow, its maritime desires in the Mediterranean, U.S. charges against a state-possessed Turkish bank and disintegration of privileges and opportunities in Turkey.