Türkiye and Britain have signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday to allow Ankara to become a user of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, marking a step toward finalising a long-discussed deal for the aircraft, while Germany approved the delivery of 40 jets.
The preliminary agreement was signed during the 17th international defence industry fair (IDEF) in Istanbul.
"In this context, the memorandum of understanding I signed with my esteemed counterpart brings us one step closer to a comprehensive agreement on the Eurofighter Typhoon issue. We welcome this positive step toward our country's participation in the Eurofighter Typhoon Community. I would like to reiterate our shared determination to finalize the necessary arrangements as quickly as possible," Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said at a signing ceremony in Istanbul.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said the agreement reflected the two countries’ close defence ties.
"Türkiye and the UK are both non-European Union countries, major NATO nations, and this memorandum of understanding signifies a determination to deepen our relationship, to move towards a big new agreement on Typhoons and to welcome Türkiye into the Typhoon club," Healey said.
Türkiye has been in talks to purchase 40 of the jets, which are produced by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, represented by Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.
Germany had also cleared the way for the delivery of 40 jets to Türkiye, following a positive decision by the federal security council, Spiegel magazine reported.
A German government spokesperson later confirmed the decision, saying: "I can only confirm that the Ministry of Defence has sent a written confirmation to the Turkish government confirming that the export has been approved."
The agreement comes as Türkiye, a major NATO member, seeks to bolster its defences in an increasingly volatile region.
Ankara has leaned on both domestic defence industry projects, including locally produced jets, and foreign acquisitions to ramp up deterrence. It is also in talks with Washington to buy 40 F-16s.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week praised the German and British stance on the Eurofighter sale, which follows weeks of positive statements from Ankara and the consortium on the deal.
Britain said negotiations with Türkiye over the final sale will continue in the coming weeks.
The deal would be the first export order for Eurofighter jets since 2017, giving a new lease of life to the final assembly line at BAE’s factory in northern England.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the multi-billion dollar agreement would "sustain and protect 20,000 UK jobs for future years to come," while a BAE Systems official said last week the company was confident of winning new orders from other countries, including Türkiye.
The pound and the yen came under strain on Wednesday, weighed down by renewed investor concerns over global fiscal health and political uncertainty in...
Ukraine’s air defence systems were activated in Kyiv on Wednesday as the capital came under a new Russian air attack. Authorities urged residents to...
China launched its largest military parade on Wednesday, showcasing growing firepower as President Xi Jinping sought to project Beijing’s role on th...
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have arrived in Beijing to join the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory ...
The price of gold surged sharply on Wednesday, reaching a new record of $3,530.08 per ounce. Analysts say the rise is driven by expectations of a U.S....
The pound and the yen came under strain on Wednesday, weighed down by renewed investor concerns over global fiscal health and political uncertainty in Japan.
China launched its largest military parade on Wednesday, showcasing growing firepower as President Xi Jinping sought to project Beijing’s role on the global stage. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were among the leaders attending at Tiananmen Square.
Ukraine’s air defence systems were activated in Kyiv on Wednesday as the capital came under a new Russian air attack. Authorities urged residents to remain in shelters during the strikes.
President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva have arrived in Beijing to join the commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against the Japanese occupation and World War II.
A powerful eruption at Japan’s Shinmoedake volcano sent an ash plume more than 3,000 metres high on Sunday morning, prompting safety warnings from authorities.
AnewZ has learned that India has once again blocked Azerbaijan’s application for full membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, while Pakistan’s recent decision to consider diplomatic relations with Armenia has been coordinated with Baku as part of Azerbaijan’s peace agenda.
The UK is gearing up for Exercise Pegasus 2025, its largest pandemic readiness test since COVID-19. Running from September to November, this full-scale simulation will challenge the country's response to a fast-moving respiratory outbreak.
A Polish Air Force pilot was killed on Thursday when an F-16 fighter jet crashed during a training flight ahead of the 2025 Radom International Air Show.
Ukraine’s air defence systems were activated in Kyiv on Wednesday as the capital came under a new Russian air attack. Authorities urged residents to remain in shelters during the strikes.
China launched its largest military parade on Wednesday, showcasing growing firepower as President Xi Jinping sought to project Beijing’s role on the global stage. Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un were among the leaders attending at Tiananmen Square.
China held its largest-ever military parade on Wednesday, showcasing its growing military power and geopolitical influence as President Xi Jinping positions Beijing as a custodian of the post-U.S. international order.
U.S. forces carried out a precision strike on a suspected transnational drug vessel in the southern Caribbean, killing all 11 people aboard, President Donald Trump and the Pentagon confirmed on Tuesday.
Moscow maintains that negotiations between Russia and Ukraine should continue, but stresses that progress is only possible if what it calls the “new territorial realities” are acknowledged.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment