Turkiye has sent a request to the US to lift the restrictions imposed on the republic in the defense industry, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said during his visit to Palestine, Report informs referring to TASS.
“The process [to acquire aircraft from the US] F-16 continues, Congress gives positive signals. We have requested the removal of defense restrictions from the US, and we will continue to demand it,” Hurriyet newspaper quoted him as saying.
Ankara has requested 40 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets and 80 Block 70 upgrade kits for aircraft from Washington in service with its Air Force. The desire to acquire the F-16 in Ankara was announced after its exclusion from the program for the production of the fifth-generation F-35 fighters in connection with the acquisition of the S-400 air defense system from Russia.