On July 23, Turkey and the UK reached a preliminary agreement on the export of the new Eurofighter Typhoon fighter, opening up an opportunity for Turkey to own a modern fighter line developed by a consortium of 4 European countries including the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy.
Previously, in 2023, the country expressed its desire to buy Typhoons, but the negotiation process was delayed because Germany had not yet granted an export license.
The UK government said that detailed negotiations on the contract will continue in the coming time.
After being eliminated from the US F-35 program by the US for purchasing a Russian S-400 defense system, the Turkish Air Force now has to rely largely on old US-made fighters.
Meanwhile, the domestic fighter development program is only in the testing phase. Therefore, Ankara must seek other alternatives to approach new-generation fighters, including Typhoons.
If signed, it would be the first Typhoon export contract the UK has won since 2017. The deal will not only help strengthen Turkey's defense capabilities but also bring economic benefits to the UK defense industry.
Turkey is estimated to be able to buy up to 40 Typhoons, with a contract value of at least 4 billion euros based on the unit price that Spain paid in 2022.
To date, the UK is the country that exploits Typhoons the most with 159 units in operation. Germany, Italy and Spain are also operating this type of aircraft and have new orders. Outside of Europe, Saudi Arabia is the largest customer with 71 units in use.
The deal between Turkey and London is seen as a strategic move to narrow the air power gap with Greece, a neighbor that owns fighter jets such as France's Rafale and the US F-16 and is preparing to receive the F-35.
