Turkey moves one step closer towards Eurofighter Typhoon purchase

Germany has greenlit technical talks with Turkey over the potential sale of the Eurofighter Typhoon to the country ahead of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to Ankara on 19 October.

Previously, Germany had blocked the sale due to concerns that Ankara would use the fighters against armed Kurdish troops in Syria and Iraq. Now, along with Italy, Spain and the UK – other members in the Eurofighter consortium – the last hurdle has been cleared, paving the way for a possible, long-awaited sale of the multirole fighter to Turkey.

When asked about the fighter acquisition, a BAE spokesperson told Shephard: “We are supporting the UK Government in its discussions with Turkey about shared defence and security priorities, including its stated interest in Typhoon.”

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The deal has been valued at a reported US$5.6 billion and Turkey could receive the first batch of 24 Eurofighter jets, with 16 arriving at a later stage, various sources have reported.

The technical talks will be expected to last around three weeks and likely cover aircraft specifications, acquisition stages, maintenance and spare parts, and personnel training, as reported by Middle East Eye.

After Turkey’s removal from the F35 programme in 2019 following its purchase of S-400 Triumf missiles, the country has sought a replacement to fill the loss of the fifth-generation fighter. According to Onur Kara, senior analyst at Shephard Group, while technical talks do not necessarily guarantee a sale, they do “serve as an important signal”. 

“Germany's lack of approval is often viewed as the key political hurdle before Turkey’s Eurofighter purchase,” Onur stated. “With the most recent news, there are signs that Germany's position is slowly shifting.”

The Eurofighters – if purchased – will merely serve as a “stopgap measure for the Turkish Air Force” while it works on developing its own Kaan stealth twin-engine fighter which completed successful test flights in February 2024. As noted on Shephard Defence Insight, the aircraft is not expected to enter service until the 2030s.

Turkey and US relations

The potential acquisition of the Eurofighter by Turkey could also serve as buffer in the newly warming relationship between Washington and Ankara.

Kara remarked: “The Turkish Air Force has historically relied on US fighters. The procurement of a European platform would demonstrate that the country has viable hedge against future tensions between Washington and Ankara.”

In June 2024, the purchase of 70 F-16 Block 70 fighter jets was announced by the US Department of State for the Turkish Air Force and an initial agreement was signed.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

TF-X Kaan Next Generation Fighter [Türkiye]

F-16V [Türkiye]

Eurofighter Typhoon [Türkiye]

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Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 4/4+

Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A (Block 20, 25, 25C)

Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 2 (Block 8, 8A, 9, 10, 10C, 11, 11C, 15, 15C)