The article discusses the tactics used by the United States after the conclusion of the review process for the acquisition of F-16 fighter jets by Turkey. Although the United States has promised to export F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, its delivery date has been postponed to 2028 and costs about $23 billion. The report also pointed out that Turkey is unwilling to join the United States in imposing sanctions on Russia and has not heeded the warnings of the United States. In addition, the report also cited the history of Turkey's purchase of Russian F-16 fighter jets and the United States' response to Turkey's purchase of S-400 missiles. The article also discusses the reasons for the delay in deliveries by the United States and the possibility that Turkey will switch to the purchase of Russian fighters.
The "blank check" of the United States to Turkey is one.
Turkey has a significant geographical location and strong military power, and has maintained increasingly close ties with Russia in recent years. The United States has a grudge against Turkey because of its opposition to Russian sanctions against it. The United States has delayed deliveries of F-16 fighter jets to Turkey to 2028 in order to prevent tensions between Russia and Turkey and to curb Turkey's military activities. The move was seen as a "blank check" to Turkey. However, whether the money can be converted into cash depends on what Turkey will do next.
This move shows that the United States is not satisfied with Turkey. The growing tension between Turkey and Russia worries the United States. Turkey has been planning to purchase F-16 fighter jets for many years, but Turkey insisted on purchasing S-400 missiles from Russia in 2019, and despite repeated requests from the United States, it eventually forced the United States to suspend the sale of ** to Turkey and remove it from the R&D list of F-35 fighters. Now, although the United States has finally relented and promised to supply the F-16 to Turkey, that promise has been canceled four years later. This has given the United States some advantages in military negotiations with Turkey, which has not only shown its own position, but also made some warnings.
In such an environment, the timing of the delay in deliveries in the United States is very interesting. There is still a long way to go in 2028, the next American is not necessarily elected, and whether Biden's ability to govern is also a big question. This suggests that the United States is putting pressure on Turkey.
The way forward for the United States and Turkey.
The reason why the United States agreed to sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey is to get Turkey to recognize Sweden as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. If the United States temporarily changes its mind, there may be uncertainties on the issue of Sweden's "accession," which will adversely affect its military coordination and policy-making process in NATO. The U.S. pressure on Turkey is also a manifestation of its influence and location in the region.
Turkey's ability to accept U.S. terms will depend on the extent to which it relies on U.S. ties and Turkey's ties with Russia. Although the United States delayed the delivery of fighter jets, the previous growth of Turkey and Russia, as well as Putin's visit to Turkey, are considered the possibility of new collaboration between the two countries during this trip. If the United States delays supplying fighter jets to Turkey, then Turkey will not consider purchasing fighter jets from Russia. This is not only a counterattack to the United States, but also will increase tensions in the region.
Brief summary. The U.S. complaint about Turkey, and the impact on the region, can be seen in the delay of the U.S. on Turkey's F-16 fighter jets. While the United States has promised to export fighter jets to Turkey, it has pushed back the delivery date to 2028, and Biden's administration has yet to make any decisions. It is also a tactic by the United States to pressure Turkey to prevent its ties with Russia from becoming hotter and wider. However, Turkey has to rely on the United States and maintain a balance of interests with Russia, so if the United States continues to pressurize, Turkey is likely to turn to Russia. There are a lot of uncertainties in the future, so let's take a look.