ANKARA, Dec 17: Turkey considers the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets the “best alternative” to F-16s if the deal with the United States fails, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler said on Saturday.
“While the process of purchasing and modernizing F-16s continues, the only aircraft that is being considered as the best alternative is the Eurofighter Typhoon,” Guler was quoted as saying by the NTV broadcaster.
Guler said earlier that Turkey intended to purchase 40 Eurofighters and had already received approval from the United Kingdom and Spain, with Germany opposing the deal. London promised to help remove Berlin’s objections, the Haberturk broadcaster reported, citing sources in the Turkish Defense Ministry.
In April 2021, the United States excluded Turkey from the F-35 program after Ankara purchased Russia’s S-400 air defense systems. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said later that year that Washington had offered that Ankara buy F-16 jets instead, one generation behind the F-35s. However, the deal needs approval from the US Congress, with many lawmakers strongly opposing the initiative, in particular, due to Turkey’s position on Sweden’s NATO bid. In July 2022, the US House of Representatives adopted a defense budget amendment that prohibits the sale of F-16s to Turkey as long as Turkey violates Greece’s airspace.(UNI)
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