According to a report by the Greek publication *Kathimerini* (cited by KurdPress), the resolution—introduced by Democratic Representative Dina Titus—calls for halting the Foreign Military Sale of General Electric-manufactured engines intended for Turkey's fifth-generation fighter program. The proposed sale, valued at over $700 million, was originally announced to Congress by the Donald Trump administration on June 24.

This package entails more than just the delivery of engines; it encompasses the transfer of technical services, engineering data, installation, integration, technical modifications, testing, certification, and other support necessary to make these engines operational on the "KAAN" fighter jet.

The Legal Process for Opposing the Sale

A resolution of disapproval is a legal mechanism that allows Congress to take action to halt an arms deal following its formal announcement by the administration. However, the mere introduction of such a resolution does not prevent the contract from proceeding.

To block the sale, the resolution must be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and subsequently either signed by the President or—in the event of a presidential veto—overridden by the requisite vote in Congress.

According to *Turkish Minute*, given the current composition of Congress and the absence of broad bipartisan opposition to the deal, observers consider the likelihood of this measure succeeding to be very low.

The resolution has now been referred to the relevant House committee for review. Congress has only 15 days from the official announcement of the sale—which took place on June 24—to make a decision on the matter.

**Sale via the U.S. Government**

The text of the resolution also clarifies that the deal is being conducted as a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) rather than a Direct Commercial Sale (DCS)—a point that had previously been a subject of uncertainty.

Under the FMS mechanism, the U.S. government acts as the official seller of military equipment. The State Department approves the transaction, and the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notifies Congress for review. Following the necessary legal procedures, the deal is finalized as a government-to-government agreement between the United States and the purchasing nation.

In its official announcement, the U.S. State Department stated that the sale was deemed approvable after an assessment of political, military, economic, human rights, and arms control considerations.

The Importance of U.S. Engines for the "KAAN" Project

The "KAAN" fighter jet is considered Turkey's most significant military aerospace project aimed at developing an indigenous fifth-generation fighter; Ankara views it as a crucial step toward reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.

However, early versions of the aircraft will continue to rely on American F110 engines until Turkey can develop its own indigenous engine.

The sale of these engines has faced opposition from Greek-American and Armenian-American lobby groups. These groups argue that the United States should not expand defense cooperation with Turkey until the dispute between Washington and Ankara over the Russian S-400 air defense system is resolved.

Turkey was removed from the F-35 fighter jet program in 2019 after taking delivery of the S-400 system. Washington argued that the deployment of this Russian system could compromise the security of the F-35's stealth technology.

The purchase of the S-400 also triggered US sanctions against Turkey under the CAATSA legislation, which remain in effect.

Efforts to Prevent Turkey’s Return to the F-35 Program

Dina Titus had previously urged House leaders to oppose any attempt by the Trump administration to readmit Turkey to the F-35 program without adhering to U.S. legal requirements.

This move followed remarks by Donald Trump, who, when asked about the possibility of Turkey returning to the F-35 program, stated that he might make a decision that would make Recep Tayyip Erdoğan "very happy."

In contrast, U.S. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance has emphasized that any sale of F-35s to Turkey would require congressional approval and full compliance with U.S. law.

Under current U.S. regulations, the transfer of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey is contingent upon Ankara no longer possessing the S-400 system, pledging not to purchase it again, and confirming that it has not engaged in any new deliveries or cooperation related to the system.

Turkey has consistently maintained that it was compelled to purchase the S-400 from Russia after failing to acquire similar air defense systems from NATO allies; however, U.S. officials believe the system could enable Moscow to gather intelligence on the stealth capabilities of the F-35.

The dispute over the sale of engines for the "Kaan" fighter jet arises as Ankara simultaneously seeks to advance its own indigenous fighter jet project.