Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II

It looks like the US is sending a clear message on the importance of maintaining Greece's qualitative military edge with moves that will get the ball rolling on Greece's acquisition of both C-130 aircraft and F-35 jets.

The U.S. agreed Monday to sell Türkiye $259 million in software it has long sought to upgrade its fleet of U.S. F-16 fighter jets. State Department approval of the sale comes about two weeks after Türkiye dropped its objections to Finland joining NATO.

Romania will purchase F-35 Lightning II fighter jets from the US, the Supreme National Defense Council decided at its meeting today, BTA reported.

Members of Romania's Supreme Council of National Defense approved the so-called "Concept for achieving operational air defense capability with fifth-generation multi-role aircraft", announced the administration of President Klaus Iohannis.

The Greek Defense Ministry is expected to decide next week whether Athens will propose to Lockheed Martin the inclusion of SSI (security, supply, information) and infrastructure programs in the F-35 fighter jets package with the participation of the Greek defense industry.

Türkiye will choose another way if the Congress of the United States imposes conditions for sale of F-16 fighter jets demanded by Türkiye, Presidential Spokesperson İbrahim Kalın said on Jan. 31.

The delegations of the Turkish Defense Ministry and the U.S. Department of Defense held the second round of F-35 fighter jets consultations in Washington on Jan. 19, Türkiye's Defense Ministry has informed.

"The delegations agreed upon the continuation of the consultations. The following meeting is scheduled to take place in Ankara in spring 2023," said the statement.

Last week news dropped that the Biden administration reportedly will ask Congress to approve a $20 billion sale of F-16s to Turkey, coupled with a separate sale of F-35 fighters to Greece.

The sale of F-16s was also the focus of Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington on Wednesday.

Washington has been engaged in a difficult balancing act in recent weeks on multiple levels with regard to Greece and Turkey. The election periods in both countries, Ankara's behavior and the requests for F-16 and F-35 fighter jets that are running almost in parallel, have brought the American diplomacy, which is trying not to displease anyone, to its limits.

Türkiye has to give importance to the modernization plans to balance the air power in the Aegean in case of Greece's new aircraft projects, retired Turkish Air Force commander General Abidin Ünal has aid, adding that Türkiye should also rely on its domestic infrastructure.

One of the most discussed issues recently is the balance of power in the air force between Türkiye and Greece.

The U.S. administration is preparing to get congressional approval for a $20 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to Türkiye, along with a separate sale of next-generation F-35 warplanes to Greece.