The sale includes 40 F-16 fighter jets and upgrades for numerous other aircraft. This decision marks one of the final steps in a transaction that had been subjected to significant delays, putting a strain on the relationship between Ankara and Washington.

The transfer of the Lockheed Martin-produced aircraft had been contingent on Sweden's accession to NATO. The US had postponed the sale until the Turkish government, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, approved Sweden's membership. Recently, Sweden's bid for NATO membership was finally accepted by all existing members after several Kurdish critics of the Turkish government, who had sought asylum in Sweden, became a stumbling block to the country's accession.

Turkey had accused Sweden of harboring Kurds with alleged links to terrorism. In response, the Swedish government enacted stricter domestic anti-terrorism laws and took other security measures to address Turkey's concerns. As of now, Hungary is the only member withholding approval of Sweden's NATO accession.

The news of the aircraft sale became public when the State Department notified Congress on Friday. Alongside the Turkish transaction, the US also permitted Greece to purchase 20 Lockheed Martin F-35 stealth fighters for $8.6 billion. Earlier tensions between Turkey and Greece had subsided in recent months thanks to concerted efforts by US diplomats, including Secretary of State Blinken, to foster closer engagement between the two historically contentious neighbors.

While Congress had not objected to Greece's aircraft purchases, it had been slowrolling the Turkish transaction since October 2021. However, once Turkey's parliament approved Sweden's bid to join NATO, President Biden urged congressional leaders in a letter to approve the sale "without delay." Some Democrats, however, expressed concerns about Turkey's human rights record and its policies towards Russia, Israel, and Hamas. They had specifically linked the F-16 sales to Sweden's NATO accession.

Congress still has a two-week window to object to the Turkish sale following the formal notification by the State Department. Despite ongoing questions about Turkey's foreign and domestic policies, it is highly unlikely that Congress will attempt to block the sale.

The approved sale of fighter jets and equipment to Turkey is expected to significantly enhance the country's defense capabilities. However, it remains to be seen how this development will impact the strained relations between Ankara and Washington, as well as the broader geopolitical dynamics in the region.