US approves sale of air-to-air missiles to Turkiye

Washington, DC

The United States has approved a military sales deal allowing Turkiye to purchase advanced air-to-air missiles and support equipment worth approximately $225 million. The deal is part of ongoing cooperation between the two NATO allies.

The US State Department announced the authorization for the sale of 53 AIM-120C-8 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) and six additional guidance sections to Turkiye. The package also includes missile containers, test equipment, spare parts, classified software, technical documents, and various support services.

This Foreign Military Sales (FMS) case was formally certified to Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). The statement emphasized that the sale aligns with the United States’ foreign policy and national security goals by enhancing the defence capabilities of Turkiye, a key NATO member.

The proposed sale aims to help Turkiye protect its airspace and assist in the defence of U.S. personnel stationed there. Officials noted that Turkiye would be able to easily integrate these missiles into its military system and that the deal would not affect the military balance in the region.

The main contractor for the missile system will be RTX Corporation, based in Tucson, Arizona. There are currently no known offset agreements tied to the deal, although such arrangements may be discussed in future negotiations.

According to US officials, this transaction will not require sending additional American personnel to Turkiye and will not impact US defence readiness.

This deal highlights the continuing strategic partnership between the US and Turkiye despite recent tensions.