Even though it is supported by a progressive weapons industry, speaking of the current reality, Turkey has vulnerabilities in the aspect of fighter jets. When juxtaposed with its rival, which is also a member of NATO, namely Greece, it has started a program to upgrade its old F-16 fleet to the F-16 Viper Block 70 standard.
In addition, Greece has received supplies of Dassault Rafale fighter jets from France. To get around the existing conditions, Turkey was 'forced' to optimize the F-16 fleet which became the backbone of the Ottoman State's air power, especially after Turkey was expelled from the acquisition and development program of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter jet.
Regarding upgrading the F-16 fleet and purchasing a new F-16 Viper, in fact Ankara has received approval from the White House, in which US President Joe Biden has given the green light for a sales package worth US $ 20 billion in October last year.
From within the country, the Turkish defense industry has also installed horses to supply advanced electronic systems, subsystems and devices for the upgraded F-16 Viper, which is predicted to provide stronger performance specifically for Turkey's F-16 Viper.
However, the continuation of the sales and upgrade package for the F-16 Viper requested by Turkey seems to have ended in a deadlock. As reported by The New York Times (13/1/2023), it is reported that Joe Biden's camp is facing stiff resistance to the sales plan.
The Pentagon has been in contact with Congress about major arms deals for Turkey and Greece, but a top senator has strongly opposed selling new F-16s and upgrade packages to Turkey.
The US$20 billion package for Turkey will include 40 new F-16 fighter jets and 79 upgrade kits to upgrade its aging F-16 fleet.
Meanwhile, Greece, at the same time, asked to be able to buy at least 30 F-35 fighter jets. Like the purchase of the Rafale, Greece wants F-35 stocks in the US arsenal, aka it wants to buy used ones. Greece's request is not controversial and is likely to be approved.
In this case, Turkey, a NATO member for more than 70 years, for the requested F-16 package faced skepticism from members of Congress irritated with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, including over violations of civil liberties and his so far refusal to approve NATO membership for Sweden and Finland.
Two Scandinavian countries that were long neutral and recently volunteered to join a military alliance after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Menendez, who comes from the Democratic camp and is a longtime critic of Erdogan, issued a scathing statement.
Menedez said he welcomed the sale of F-35s to Greece, while he was "absolutely" opposed to selling F-16s to Turkey. In most cases, Congress will have to approve significant US arms sales to foreign allies, and resistance or inaction would kill President Biden's proposal.
"President Erdogan continues to undermine international law, ignores human rights and democratic norms, and engages in alarming and destabilizing behavior within Turkey and towards its neighboring NATO allies," Menendez said.
Speaking to Turkish news media in October, Erdogan dismissed Menendez's earlier criticism, telling reporters that "Menendez's objections alone cannot stop" such a deal, though it was not clear what that meant. Weeks later, Erdogan acknowledged that procuring the (F-16) fighter jets would be “much easier” if Republicans won a Senate majority in the US midterm elections.
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