Big setback for US as Turkey cancels F-16 Upgrade Deal, President Recep Tayyip says…

Ankara: With Donald Trump set to make a comeback as the President of the United States, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has taken a major decision. The Turkish PM has reportedly cancelled a significant portion of the F-16 deal with the US. Reports suggest that Erdoğan had persistently lobbied for this deal with the United States for several years.
Turkish officials have stated that the country has scaled down its planned USD 23 billion acquisition of F-16 fighter jets from the US. As part of the agreement, the purchase of 79 modernization kits for the existing F-16 fleet has been canceled.
Turkey’s Defense Minister Confirms
Turkey’s Defense Minister Yaşar Güler confirmed this decision late Tuesday night. During a parliamentary hearing, Güler stated, “An initial payment has been made for the purchase of F-16 Block-70. A total of USD 1.4 billion has been paid. With this, we will purchase 40 F-16 Block-70 Vipers, and we were planning to buy 79 modernization kits.” NATO member Turkey secured this deal earlier this year with the United States after a prolonged process to purchase 40 F-16 fighter jets and 79 modernization kits for its existing F-16 fleet.
Güler stated, “We have set aside this 79. The reason we set it aside is that our Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) facilities are capable of carrying out this modernization on their own, so we deferred it.” Güler further mentioned that the purchase of 40 new Lockheed Martin F-16 jets and their ammunition would cost Turkey approximately $7 billion.