Turkey is moving forward with plans to expedite its acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, a defense ministry official has confirmed. Discussions had previously been held with Eurofighter consortium members, including the UK and Spain, although initial resistance from Germany slowed progress. Frustration grew in Ankara due to Berlin’s hesitation.
Last month, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the United Nations General Assembly, where the Eurofighter deal was likely addressed. The two leaders are scheduled to meet again in Istanbul on Saturday, October 19, with the fighter jet procurement expected to be a key topic.
When asked about Turkey’s interest in Eurofighter Typhoon jets, Scholz confirmed on Thursday that it would be a part of the discussions. “We routinely talk about arms supplies to our NATO ally,” he said, adding that the UK is currently in negotiations with the Turkish government about the potential sale.
No Conditions “Technical discussions for the purchase of Eurofighter Typhoon jets are ongoing. The objective is to speed up the process, and no conditions have been placed,” the defense ministry official explained.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is produced by a consortium of German, British, Italian, and Spanish companies, including Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo.
Alongside this potential deal, Turkey, a NATO member, has also secured an agreement with the U.S. to purchase 40 F-16 fighter jets and 79 modernization kits for its existing fleet. Additionally, Turkey is working on developing its own fighter jet, KAAN.
