In Turkey tomorrow’s American Parliament committee – On the F-16 menu and Kurdish US allies

It is apparently rising paces for its procurement, which tomorrow Friday 29.3.2024 will be visited by members of the Armed Services Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives. The members of the American House of Representatives will meet with Turkey’s Defence Minister, Yasar Guler, to first-hand listen to Turkish positions on the modernisation of Turkish F-16 and the purchase of young people. But the issue of F-16 will not be the only one on the agenda, as – agreed with sources from the Turkish Ministry of Defence – will also be raised the “fight against terrorism”, i.e. the American support for the YPG Kurds fighting against the Islamic State in northern Syria. The American delegation will also have a meeting with Hulushi Akar, former Defence Minister and current president of the Turkish National Assembly Defence Committee. At the same time, according to Bloomberg, the U.S. Pentagon will procure 166 thousand ammunition of 155 mm from the Turkish defence industry Arca Defence. All ammunition is planned to be delivered to the Pentagon this year and additional orders are expected to be made next year. According to officials planning supplies, the US is also aiming to procure trinitrotoluene from Turkey, known as TNT, and nitroguanidine, used as a propulsion fuel. In addition, by 2025 another Turkish defence industry company will install lines in Texas to produce 155 mm ovid-gun ammunition. The lines to be created will cover 30% of the total production of 155 mm U.S. ammunition. In this way, it seeks to meet Ukraine’s ammunition needs. As the APE-AME correspondent, G. Mandalidis, broadcasts, permission is required for the sale of ammunition by the Turkish Republic government and the Ministry of National Defence. However, as Bloomberg reports, it has not yet been confirmed whether this export licence has been issued.