Last night the Turkish National Assembly said “yes” to Sweden joining NATO.

Ankara accepted Blinken’s request and is now waiting for the US “yes” to sell 40 F-16s to Turkey and modernize another 79 F-16s.

The developments have a window of time of 15 days, during which Erdogan can ratify the decision of the Turkish National Assembly, as broadcast from Istanbul by Manolis Kostidis.

However, there are voices that disagree with the developments:

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BASSAK SENGIUL-TV100 PRESENTER: We are discussing NATO. As the Parliament of Turkey voted on the issue of Sweden joining NATO and it was approved. With 287 in favor, 55 against and 4 abstentions.

METE GIARAR – MILITARY ANALYST: “Here you are telling us about the F-16s. But the US is embargoing us. Leave alone the F-16s give us nothing no spare parts. Nothing. But they are not going to strengthen NATO, they are trying to weaken one of NATO’s largest armies, we go and say let’s strengthen NATO, let Sweden join and I will take care of the USA!”.

The Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reports: “The double knot is untied. The F-16s will come.”

“There is no Menendez, no obstacles are expected in Congress.”

“Greece’s aviation supremacy will peak in 2008”

Turkish analysts point to an advantage of Rafale and Meteor missiles.

“Greek fighters will be able to hit Turkish F-16s from longer distances.”

“Turkey wants Eurofighters to fill this void.”

Ozai Sentir, director of Milliyet newspaper: “The date when Greek air superiority against Turkey will peak is 2028. Already since last November, the US has been delivering to Greece every month 2 F-16 Block-70s which have been upgraded. In Greece they had already received 12 used Rafales and by 2026 they will have received the new ones as well and the receipt of all will be completed. This is the dream of Greece. But for the F-35 there is a long order list. Greece plans to fast-track the F-35 program and to have received the specific aircraft in 2028.

But let’s talk about the Meteor missile. The main superiority of Greece against us is this. When a Rafale and an F-16 take off at the same time, the Rafale will see us earlier on the radar, even if we consider that we see it on the radar, the range of the Meteor missile that is launched from the Rafale, it has a “no escape zone”, that is, in the area you cannot avoid it up to 100 kilometers, the range of the American AIM missiles that we use in the F-16 is 49 kilometers. That is, the French system is launched from a greater distance and the real risk for Turkey is created by it. Four fighters can launch these Meteor missiles. They are the Rafale, the Eurofighter, the F-35 and the Grippen. Turkey’s goal with the Eurofighter procurement is to close this gap.”

Turkish analysts: “Instead of F-16s, they might give us Eurofighters”

“The US will not deliver the F-16s until the election”

CETINER CETIN- DIRECTOR. SECURITY POLICY DEPARTMENT HABERTURK: “I believe that despite the approval of Sweden’s accession to NATO, the US will not immediately give the F-16s. Germany will try to cover the gap by granting Eurofighters as an alternative”.

SENA ALKAN- HAVERTURK PRESENTER: “So you think that despite the ‘yes’ in Sweden they won’t give it?”.

CETINER CETIN: “No. As there are elections in the USA and the USA during the election period will not give the F-16s”.

SENA ALKAN: “There is already a mistrust and this period will strengthen it.”

CETINER CETIN: “Let me tell you another important piece of information. There are Eurofighters that Germany will sell to Saudi Arabia. There will be a plan to sell these Eurofighters to Turkey. I believe they won’t give Eurofigher”.

SENA ALKAN: “Yes, and he emphasizes that instead of the F-16s, the solution will be to grant the Eurofighters and the lifting of Germany’s objection.”