The agreement was signed on October 27, 2025, during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first official visit to Ankara.

The ceremony, attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, marked one of Türkiye’s largest defense acquisitions in recent years.

According to officials, the contract is valued between £5.4 billion and £8 billion ($6.8–$10.7 billion), depending on long-term support and training components.

The first aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2030, with options for additional units in the future.

The Typhoons will likely be the Tranche 4 variant, featuring the Captor-E AESA radar, upgraded avionics, and compatibility with advanced European weapons such as the Meteor beyond-visual-range missile and Storm Shadow cruise missile.

These capabilities will give the Turkish Air Force a major boost in range and situational awareness over its aging F-16 fleet.

In parallel, Ankara is negotiating with Gulf states for earlier access to used Typhoons.

According to Turkish officials, talks with Qatar and Oman would see Türkiye acquire 12 used aircraft from each country, potentially significantly shortening the timeline for boosting its air force.

Bridging the Gap Until KAAN

Ankara describes the Eurofighter deal as an interim measure to maintain combat readiness until its domestic TAI KAAN stealth fighter becomes fully operational in the mid-2030s.

The KAAN prototype made its maiden flight earlier this year but is expected to face a gradual rollout and testing phase before mass production.

The 2030 delivery timeline aligns with Türkiye’s strategy to overlap Typhoon and KAAN deployments, ensuring continuous air superiority while reducing reliance on U.S. systems.

Strategic and Industrial Benefits

For the UK, the deal represents a significant win for its defense industry. It will sustain around 20,000 skilled jobs across key production sites, including BAE Systems’ facilities in Warton and Samlesbury, Rolls-Royce in Bristol, and Leonardo’s radar plant in Edinburgh.

It also extends Eurofighter production into the 2030s, bridging the gap to the upcoming Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), jointly developed by the UK, Italy, and Japan.

Geopolitical Context

Türkiye’s move follows years of strained defense relations with the United States. The country was expelled from the F-35 program in 2019 after acquiring the Russian S-400 air defense system. Efforts to secure new F-16s and upgrade kits have since stalled amid political disputes in Washington.

The Eurofighter deal required approval from all four consortium members — the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

Germany had previously blocked the sale, citing human rights and regional concerns, but lifted its veto in July 2025 after pressure from allies.

Türkiye expects to finalise the Gulf acquisitions while proceeding with the U.K. build-programme.

The deal with London includes options for additional jets, signalling potential for further expansion of Türkiye’s air-power capability.

The Qatari Typhoons entered service only in 2022, and Oman’s in 2018, meaning both fleets remain relatively new and compatible with the Tranche 3/4 configuration Türkiye is acquiring. The move reflects Ankara’s pragmatic approach: using available assets to accelerate integration and readiness.

Analysts say the Gulf purchases could raise Türkiye’s total Typhoon inventory to 44 aircraft, creating a transitional fleet capable of complementing its F-16s and the first batch of KAAN fighters.

If talks with Qatar and Oman conclude successfully, Turkish pilots could begin Typhoon training as early as 2026, years ahead of the main deliveries.