Despite intense Turkish pressure exerted in recent days on the US to upgrade the Turkish F-16 fighters, the problems for Ankara are for from being over.
Late on Friday night it became known that US Senator Bob Menendez submitted to the Senate defense budget an amendment that creates new conditions for Turkey to purchase or modernize its fighter jets.
The tabling of the amendment is essentially the next step after it was tabled by Chris Papas in the House of Representatives.
The amendment in the House was approved in early July and now there is increasing desire for it to become US law.
NATO: Sweden has authorized again the export of weapons to Turkey
According to the text filed “the President may not sell or authorize the export of new F-16 aircraft or F-16 upgrade technology or modernization kits to any authority under the provisions of the Defense Export Control Act, to the government of Turkey or any agency or agency of Turkey, unless the President certifies to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Congressional Defense Committees:
1) that such transfer is in the national interest of the United States;
2) this certification must include a detailed description of the specific measures taken to ensure that such F-16s are not used by Turkey for repeated unauthorized flights over Greece.
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