Ankara and London have sealed a landmark defense agreement for the sale of 20 Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft to Turkey, with the first deliveries scheduled for 2030. The deal, valued at £8 billion (approximately $10.7 billion), was announced on October 27, 2025, during UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first official visit to Turkey since assuming office in July 2024. Starmer, accompanied by Defense Secretary John Healey and Royal Air Force Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Harv Smyth, inspected the aircraft at Mürted Air Base before meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for a formal signing ceremony.
According to BBC Turkish, the agreement represents Turkey’s largest fighter jet purchase in years and is described by the UK Ministry of Defence as “the biggest combat aircraft export deal in a generation.” The Eurofighter Typhoon, jointly produced by the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain, will bolster NATO’s southern flank amid growing concerns over regional instability and Russian aggression. While initial reports suggested additional purchases from Qatar and Oman, Turkey’s Ministry of Defence clarified that these discussions remain ongoing.
Prime Minister Starmer emphasized that the contract would secure approximately 6,000 jobs at BAE Systems’ Warton and Samlesbury plants, 1,100 positions at Rolls-Royce facilities in Bristol, and 800 in Scotland, ultimately safeguarding up to 20,000 jobs in the British aerospace industry. Defense Secretary Healey hailed the deal as a “game-changer” that will inject billions into the UK economy while keeping the nation’s Typhoon production lines active for years to come.
The Eurofighter Typhoon, a fourth-generation multi-role aircraft, has played a key role in European air defense and NATO operations. Each aircraft is assembled in the UK and contains roughly 37% British-made components. This order marks the first new Eurofighter Typhoon acquisition for the UK since 2017 and is expected to rejuvenate national production, which had stalled earlier this year. In July, BAE Systems temporarily halted assembly at its Lancashire plant due to a lack of new orders, prompting labor unrest and threats of strikes from the Unite union.
Western media coverage of the agreement has been mixed. The Telegraph highlighted the deal as a strategic step to enhance NATO air defense amid Russia’s increasing hostility, noting that Turkey currently relies heavily on aging F-16s. Meanwhile, The Guardian and Financial Times criticized the timing of the announcement, pointing out that it coincided with new legal judgments against Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Analysts argue that the agreement reflects Europe’s prioritization of military cooperation with Turkey over domestic political concerns.
President Erdoğan praised the partnership, expressing hope that it would open the door to joint defense projects with the United Kingdom. “We believe this cooperation will pave the way for additional collaborative initiatives in our defense industry,” he said during the signing ceremony. Starmer echoed this sentiment, signaling that further aircraft sales could follow in the future.
With the first Eurofighter delivery expected in 2030, the agreement underscores Turkey’s commitment to modernizing its air force and deepening its strategic ties with the UK. It also signals a renewed industrial lifeline for Britain’s aerospace sector, ensuring long-term production stability and reinforcing NATO’s air defense capabilities in a volatile geopolitical climate.
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