Britain and Turkey finalized a multi-billion-dollar pact for a significant new training and support agreement as part of their $10.73 billion Typhoon fighter jet arrangement made last year.
The recent agreement includes training in the UK for Turkish pilots and ground personnel, as Turkey prepares to operate its initial set of British-manufactured jets, according to Britain's Ministry of Defense.
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Defense companies such as BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, and Martin-Baker will provide parts and training gear.
Defense Secretary John Healey and Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler finalized the agreement in London, which the British government stated signifies the next stage of Turkey’s participation in the Eurofighter program and strengthening NATO’s combat air capabilities on its eastern border.
In early last year, Turkiye struck an agreement with the United Kingdom to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets for nearly $11bn, as Ankara aims to enhance its air defenses while concurrently developing its own fifth-generation KAAN fighter aircraft.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer convened in Ankara to finalize the agreement.
The UK’s Ministry of Defence labeled the agreement as the “largest fighter jet deal in a generation,” whereas Erdogan celebrated it as “a new emblem of the strategic ties” between “two close partners.”
While in Ankara, Starmer stated that the deal was also a victory for NATO, which includes both the UK and Turkiye as members.
In July, Turkey and the UK agreed on a preliminary arrangement for supplying 40 Typhoons, a plan that received approval from the other Eurofighter consortium nations Germany, Italy, and Spain.
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Turkish authorities have stated that Ankara aims to acquire 120 fighter planes to strengthen its forces prior to the operational deployment of its KAAN jets.
In an effort to reduce the disparity with regional competitors like Israel, the Turkish Ministry of Defence has announced its intention to acquire 12 additional Typhoons each from Qatar and Oman.
Erdogan has recently discussed with his US counterpart Donald Trump the potential of rejoining the Washington-led F-35 fighter jet program, from which Turkiye was removed in 2019 due to its acquisition of Russian-made S-400 missile defense systems.