Turkey signs $11 billion deal for Eurofighter Typhoon jets

Turkey has signed an agreement worth roughly $11 billion (£8 billion) to acquire Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, marking the first major export order for the four-nation jet since 2017. The deal covers 20 newly built aircraft, representing Turkey's first purchase of a European-built fighter after decades of relying on American-made combat jets.

According to Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler, the order could grow substantially, with Ankara planning to acquire an additional 24 second-hand Typhoons, 12 from Oman and 12 from Qatar. If completed, the Omani sale would mean that country exiting Eurofighter operations altogether. Guler indicated that deliveries of the used Qatari aircraft could begin as soon as next year, well ahead of the new-build jets, which are not expected to arrive until 2030.

The earlier arrival of second-hand aircraft would let Turkey introduce the Eurofighter into service sooner and retire older aircraft from its fleet, including its McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms, according to the minister.

BAE Systems, which will manufacture the new aircraft at its Warton facility in England, said it expects to receive £5.4 billion of the total contract value. That portion covers the aircraft themselves along with an associated weapons package supplied by MBDA, including integration work.