USAF To Pay $95M To Turkish Firms For Upgrades: Have The 2 Countries Made Up?

Despite the cloudy political future between the two countries, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) announced plans to pay eight different Turkish firms $95 million in total for planned work on several projects in the country. The U.S. military operates from eight separate bases that it leases from the Turkish government. The current facilities require upgrading and repair. The announcement comes less than a month after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan openly threatened to suspend or outright terminate American access to various bases in the country.

So why would the military be willing to spend the money to upgrade the bases and surrounding infrastructure? The answer is relatively simple. In 1980, the U.S. and Turkey signed an agreement called the Defense Economic Cooperation Act (DECA) that includes provisions to include Turkey in any military construction projects. That means any work done on the bases must be done according to the agreement. The threats are just talking at the moment, and the U.S. military remains active in the country.

According to a report by thedrive there were no specific details on the eight firms listed in the announcement, but the total cost of the projects was $95 million. However, not all of the facilities in the country will see construction. Only seven of the bases could see repairs and new construction. This would be a substantial economic gain for those companies hired to do the work. The Turkish president is unlikely to cease anything that is bringing in that kind of money.

This may also be a gesture of goodwill from the U.S. government as political relations have been chilly since 2016. This roots from a failed military coup to remove Erdogan from power, with many in Turkey claiming that the U.S. covertly backed the attempt. Also, tensions have risen over decisions by Turkey to attack Kurdish fighters in Syria and the purchase of a Russian missile system. President Trump then announced a $100 billion trade agreement between the two countries amid talk of economic sanctions.

It seems highly unlikely that the U.S. would be forced to leave Incirlik, which it has occupied since the 1950s. The military keeps one-third of its European deployed nuclear weapons on the base and an entire air wing. It only makes sense that the two countries continue to work side by side despite disagreements, especially in the public eye.