Amendments To Block F-16 Sale To Turkey Removed

Amendments to block proposed fighter jet sales to Turkey have been removed from the final version of the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), reports the Hurriyet Daily News (Istanbul).

On Wednesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu welcomed the decision by American lawmakers to remove the amendments that would have prevented additional F-16 fighter sales to Ankara.

Turkey has been negotiating to buy 40 new jets and 79 modernization kits following its exclusion from the F-35 program.

Ankara says it needs the F-16s to strengthen its aerial capabilities and protect national and NATO airspace after it was kicked out of the F-35 program for its acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems.

The NDAA is expected to pass the Senate and House of Representatives later this month before being sent to President Biden to sign into law.