Editor’s note: This report has been updated.
ANKARA, Turkey — Turkey and the United Kingdom signed a multibillion-dollar deal for the sale of 20 new EF-2000 Eurofighter Typhoon jets during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Ankara on Monday.
According to a press release shared by the U.K. government, the deal is worth up to £8 billion pounds (U.S. $10.7 billion), making it the biggest export deal in a generation. This is the first new order of U.K. Typhoons since 2017.
The deal will help sustain around 20,000 jobs in the U.K. The first delivery is expected to take place in 2030.
Under the agreement, BAE Systems will manufacture major airframe components, conduct the final assembly of the aircraft and lead weapons integration at its facilities in Lancashire, generating work for hundreds of companies across the U.K. supply chain. The weapons package will be primarily supplied by MBDA.
The deal will make the Turkish air force the 10th operator of the Eurofighter Typhoon, underscoring the aircraft’s ongoing role in international air defense. The package includes the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile. BAE Systems anticipates recognizing approximately £4.6 billion pounds in revenue from the program, including its shareholding in MBDA.
Following a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Starmer at the Presidential Complex in Ankara, Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler told reporters that Turkey also plans to acquire 12 Eurofighter Typhoons each from Qatar and Oman, with the aircraft from Qatar expected to arrive early next year.
As part of Starmer’s visit, three Royal Air Force Eurofighter jets flew to Turkey. Upon entering Turkish airspace, they were met by Turkish F-16s and escorted to Ankara Mürted Air Base Command. Starmer and U.K. Secretary of State for Defence John Healey met RAF pilots in front of a Eurofighter aircraft at the base.
“At either end of Europe, the UK and Turkey are vital to tackling the challenges of our time, and this deal will allow our armed forces to work even closer together,” Starmer said.
Turkey’s acquisition of new Eurofighter jets, which aim to rejuvenate the Turkish air force, will act as a stop gap until the domestically developed Kaan fighter is added to the country’s inventory.
Cem Devrim Yaylali is a Turkey correspondent for Defense News. He is a keen photographer of military ships and has a passion for writing about naval and defense issues. He was born in Paris, France, and resides in Istanbul, Turkey. He is married with one son.
