Turkey moves closer to acquiring F-16 jets

Turkey has signed a letter of offer and acceptance for the purchase of 40 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets, the State Department has confirmed.

In a press conference Thursday, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said "the sale is an investment in NATO interoperability and will support the national security interests of the United States, Türkiye, and the NATO Alliance."

Ankara submitted the request to acquire the aircraft in October 2021.

"Today marks an important step forward in Türkiye's purchase of the latest-generation F-16 Block 70 fighter jets and upgrades to its existing fleet of F-16s," America's ambassador to Turkey, Jeff Flake, said in a post on X social media platform. "This is good for US national security, Turkish national security, and NATO interoperability," he added. 

"US proud to announce today a major step forward in Türkiye's...