UK Signs Major $10.7 Billion Deal with Turkey to Supply Typhoon Fighter Jets
A landmark agreement between the United Kingdom and Turkey has become one of the most significant defense deals in recent history.
London and Ankara signed a contract to deliver 20 state-of-the-art Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, with the total value reaching approximately 8 billion pounds sterling or over 10.7 billion US dollars.
This deal was finalized during Prime Minister Kira Starmer’s official visit to Turkey, highlighting the high level of cooperation between the two nations in defense matters.
According to UK government sources, this agreement is the largest in its kind in the last two decades and holds strategic importance for both sides.
It will not only modernize Turkey’s military capabilities but also strengthen NATO’s position in the region and help preserve over 20,000 jobs across the UK’s defense industry.
Defence Minister Starmer emphasized that this is a significant step forward, as such an agreement represents a victory not only for the defense sector workers but also for global security, given that advanced fighters significantly enhance Turkey’s defensive capabilities.
The Eurofighter Typhoon, developed as part of an international partnership between the UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy, remains one of the most versatile and advanced fighter aircraft.
This is not the first military collaboration between Britain and Turkey, as in late July, the countries agreed on an earlier preliminary deal to supply these aircraft, a move facilitated by Germany’s recent lifting of opposition to the sale.
Turkey views the Eurofighter as a temporary solution until it can develop and deploy its own fifth-generation fighter, KAAN, expected to be operational no earlier than 2028.
Recently, political support for this project increased when Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadeful expressed readiness to expand cooperation with Turkey in defense industry matters, signaling growing trust and mutual interests in regional and global security.