In what appears to be one of the final chapters in the long-running saga to acquire 40 Eurofighters, the Turkish Air Force is reportedly awaiting final approval from the German government to proceed with the purchase—an authorization that, according to local media, could soon be granted with the support of the new Chancellor, Friedrich Merz. The news comes shortly after the German leader held a meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, during the recent NATO Summit in The Hague.
Should Germany lift its veto on the sale, Turkey would be able to move forward with the deal, which has been primarily driven by the United Kingdom—one of the four partner nations in the Eurofighter program (Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK), whose unanimous approval is required for any export. In particular, it was Germany’s so-called “Traffic Light Coalition” (comprising the FDP, SPD, and Greens) that had previously blocked consensus within the government, citing Turkey’s involvement in conflicts in Syria and Libya, as well as its actions against the Kurdish population.
From the perspective of the Eurofighter consortium’s defense industry partners, the approval is also highly anticipated, as the continuation of aircraft production largely depends on increased export demand, such as that represented by the Turkish request. While both Germany and Spain plan to acquire additional Eurofighters in the near future, manufacturers consider the projected order volumes insufficient to sustain a stable production line.
This is especially evident in the United Kingdom, which submitted the offer for the 40 Eurofighters in March of this year and is represented in the consortium by BAE Systems. Trade unions in the UK have previously urged the government to reduce its reliance on U.S.-made F-35s and instead expand orders of the European jets to equip the Royal Air Force—both to protect local manufacturing jobs and to preserve domestic industrial capabilities for building such platforms.
From a political standpoint, the deal is also seen positively by German officials, who believe it could strengthen ties with a country whose military aviation market has long been dominated by U.S. companies. The opportunity comes amid the collapse of Turkey’s intended F-35 purchase, which was ultimately blocked by Washington. Should the Eurofighter deal be finalized, Ankara would become one of the most significant operators of the platform outside the four partner nations, a list currently topped by Saudi Arabia with 72 aircraft acquired.
Images used for illustrative purposes only.
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