Türkiye expects 'solid steps' from US on F-16 purchase, modernization

By Anadolu staff

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye expects “positive and solid steps” from the US for its purchase and modernization of F-16 warplanes, Türkiye’s national defense minister said on Saturday.

“Technical meetings with the US have been completed. We expect the process to start with positive and concrete steps as soon as possible,” Yasar Guler told journalists in the capital Ankara at a year-end evaluation meeting.

In a protracted process, Türkiye has sought to buy from the US a number of the latest-generation F-16 fighter jets as well as modernization kits for the F-16s it already has. The Turkish president has suggested the US take steps on the F-16s as Türkiye takes steps on Sweden's NATO accession bid, perhaps before the end of the year.

Guler added that since Jan. 1, a total of 2,084 terrorists, including those in northern Syria and Iraq near the Turkish border, have been neutralized. Turkish authorities use the term "neutralize" to imply the terrorists in question surrendered or were killed or captured.

He added that since the start of the year, nearly 200,000 people have been prevented from illegally crossing Turkish borders while over 13,000 irregular immigrants and 590 terrorists have been caught.