Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Wednesday that talks regarding the supply of F-16s from the United States are going in a positive direction.
Akar was speaking on the occasion of the 111th anniversary of the Turkish Air Force as he received Air Forces Commander General Hasan Küçükakyüz and accompanying Air Forces Command personnel.
Speaking at the reception at the ministry, Akar celebrated the 111th anniversary of the establishment of the Turkish Air Force, which has always been a source of pride for its noble nation with its qualified personnel, modern technology and outstanding achievements.
Describing the air force as one of the most important elements that provide the effective, deterrent and respectable qualities of the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), Akar said that the Air Forces Command had a great share in the successes achieved in many fields, from the protection of the skies to the counter-terrorism operation and the defense of rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean and humanitarian aid activities.
Akar, on the possible purchase of F-16 fighters, said: “We have carried out our work within a certain procedure for the procurement of Blok 70 Vipers and the modernization of our other aircraft. We believe that our ally, the U.S., will meet this need of Turkey.”
“I believe that this will not be ignored by the U.S. administration in terms of collective defense and interoperability,” he added.
“Both the meetings held with the U.S. delegations coming to Turkey and the contacts of the delegation going to the U.S. with the congress members were in a positive atmosphere and a ground was formed for the continuation of the contacts,” the minister said.
Stating that this issue is not only a matter of the Turkish Air Force but also of NATO and Europe, Akar said, “For NATO to be strong, its members must be strong one by one. I believe that this will not be ignored by the U.S. administration.”
The purchase has been complicated after Turkey bought the advanced Russian S-400 missile system, which has led to an ongoing row with Washington that resulted in sanctions and Ankara's expulsion from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program.
The Turkish government requested 40 F-16s and modernization kits for its existing fighters in October.
The Biden administration has on several occasions signaled its openness to the sale, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who said previously that foreign military sales to key U.S. partners like Turkey should be expedited and bureaucratic hurdles removed.
