ANKARA — Turkey and the United Kingdom on Monday signed a landmark defence procurement agreement in which Turkey will purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets from the UK for a reported £8 billion (approximately US$10.7 billion).
The deal, concluded during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Ankara, marks the first new order for UK-built Typhoons since 2017 and is described by British officials as the largest fighter jet export agreement in a generation.
Starmer, speaking at the signing ceremony alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, emphasised the deal’s significance: “This will bolster security across NATO, deepen our bilateral defence cooperation and boost economic growth here and in the United Kingdom, securing 20,000 British jobs.” President Erdoğan described the agreement as “a new symbol of the strategic relationship between us as two close allies.”
Under the terms announced, the Typhoons will be manufactured by the UK’s BAE Systems (with major airframe assembly and weapons integration carried out in the UK) and make Turkey the 10th operator of the Eurofighter. Turkey views this acquisition as part of a broader effort to modernise its air force ahead of the deployment of its domestically-developed fifth-generation fighter, the Kaan, targeted for entry into service around 2028.
The deal also follows earlier memorandums: in July Turkey and the UK signed a preliminary agreement covering up to 40 Typhoons while Germany had lifted its previous objections to the sale.
Analysts say the pact not only deepens bilateral defence ties but also signals a strategic shift in Europe’s arms export landscape. However, the agreement has drawn scrutiny over human-rights concerns and Turkey’s internal political climate. First deliveries of the aircraft are expected around 2030, and the agreement reportedly includes an option for Turkey to purchase additional jets in future.
