Turkey has significantly reduced its $23 billion plan to acquire F-16 fighter jets and modernization kits from the United States. The country has decided to forgo the purchase of 79 modernization kits for its existing fleet, according to Defence Minister Yasar Guler.
Earlier this year, Turkey, a NATO member, finalized a deal to procure 40 F-16 Block-70 Viper jets and modernization kits for its current F-16 aircraft. However, this plan has now been scaled down.
Guler informed a parliamentary hearing that Turkey has already made an initial payment of $1.4 billion for the F-16 Block-70 jets. He said, "We will proceed with buying 40 F-16 Block-70 Vipers. However, we decided against purchasing the 79 modernization kits. This decision was made because our Turkish Aerospace Industries (TUSAS) facilities are fully capable of performing these upgrades themselves."
The purchase of the new jets and accompanying ammunition will cost Turkey around $7 billion, Guler added.
Turkey initially placed its order in October 2021, two years after being removed from the U.S.-led F-35 fighter jet program. This removal followed Turkey's acquisition of a Russian missile defense system, which strained relations with the United States.
Despite this setback, Guler expressed Turkey's desire to rejoin the F-35 program and acquire 40 new F-35 jets.
Turkey remains one of the largest operators of F-16 aircraft, with a fleet of over 200 older models, including the Block 30, 40, and 50 variants.
In addition to the F-16 deal, Ankara has shown interest in acquiring Eurofighter Typhoon jets, developed by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy, and Spain. Meanwhile, Turkey is also advancing its indigenous defense capabilities with the development of its own combat aircraft, named KAAN.
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