Earlier today, as part of the International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) taking place in Istanbul until July 27, Turkey and the United Kingdom signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), marking one of the first formal steps toward a potential acquisition of 40 new Eurofighter Typhoon jets for the Turkish Air Force. As reported yesterday, Ankara continues to move forward with negotiations to procure these fighter aircraft following the green light given by the new German government.
As part of a process marked by numerous ups and downs over recent years, the UK and Turkey have taken a significant step toward finalizing the export of 40 Eurofighter Typhoons by reaching a preliminary agreement through the signing of this MoU, though a formal contract confirming Turkey’s purchase intent is still pending.
Present at the MoU signing ceremony were Yaşar Güler, Turkey’s Minister of National Defense, and John Healey, the UK’s Secretary of State for Defence, who stated: “Equipping Turkey with Typhoons would strengthen NATO’s collective defense and boost both countries’ industrial bases by securing thousands of skilled jobs across the United Kingdom in the coming years.”
Ankara’s interest in the Eurofighter Typhoon stems from the need to bolster its current fleet of fighter aircraft, which is primarily composed of U.S.-made F-16s. This development takes place alongside the ongoing testing and evaluation of the fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet, which has already conducted test flights and was recently the subject of a deal with Indonesia for the sale of 48 units.
The potential inclusion of the Eurofighter would serve Turkey’s interest in a stop-gap solution—bridging the gap between its current fleet of F-16s (which, after prolonged negotiations with Washington, will not be upgraded to the Block 70 standard) and the future KAAN fifth-generation fighter. However, the process has not been without setbacks, particularly due to Germany’s past reluctance to authorize arms exports and the closure of BAE Systems’ Eurofighter Typhoon production line in the UK.
Now facing a more favorable scenario, the UK Ministry of Defence noted that negotiations regarding the potential deal with Turkey will continue in the coming weeks. While no official figures have been confirmed, sources indicate the value of the deal could be around USD 5.6 billion. It would also represent the first export order for the Typhoon secured by the UK since 2017.
In parallel, reports suggest that the Typhoon’s work-share agreement would see more than one-third (37%) of each aircraft manufactured in the UK, with the remaining components produced by the other Eurofighter consortium partners—Germany, Spain, and Italy.
Lastly, Jorge Tamarit-Degenhardt, CEO of Eurofighter, stated in a separate release that the memorandum of understanding “is positive news for all parties involved, and we look forward to supporting future discussions between the governments of Turkey and the United Kingdom in the coming months.”
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