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US to move forward with Turkey jet engine sales ahead of NATO summit, sources say
The package would supply General Electric engines for Turkey’s first indigenous combat jet, despite objections from some members of Congress.
The Trump administration plans to sell Turkey dozens of General Electric jet engines worth more than $700 million, proceeding despite Congressional objections ahead of next month's NATO summit.
Turkey requires the F110-GE-129 engines for its indigenous KAAN combat jet, a project launched in 2016 to increase defense self-sufficiency as the nation seeks to replace its American-made F-16 fleet.
Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, raised objections during review, though the administration may bypass non-binding Congressional holds.
The sale represents a significant diplomatic gesture following past friction over Ankara's acquisition of Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, which previously led to Turkey's removal from the F-35 program.
Gonul Tol, director of the Washington-based Middle East Institute's Turkish program, called the sale "lowest-hanging fruit," noting the true test of relations remains Turkey's potential return to the F-35 program.