UK's Starmer visit to Turkey set to finalise multibillion-dollar Eurofighter deal

Turkey and the UK are expected to finalise a multibillion-dollar Eurofighter Typhoon deal during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s first official visit to Ankara on Monday, several sources told Middle East Eye.

Ankara has been in talks with the UK, the lead country in the Eurofighter consortium, since 2023 over the purchase of the fighter jets. In 2024, Turkey cleared a key hurdle by overcoming Germany’s veto, which had blocked the sale.

The two countries signed a provisional agreement in July for 40 jets and have since continued negotiations over technical specifications and pricing, which Ankara reportedly found relatively high.

One source familiar with the matter said that of the 40 jets, 20 will be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) to allow for faster delivery. The remaining 20 will be delivered later and customised to Turkish specifications.

Starmer sent two Eurofighter jets to Ankara ahead of his visit, demonstrating the deal’s importance to London, a second Turkish source said. It remains unclear whether the jets will stay in Turkey or were flown in for symbolic purposes.

Several sources said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan postponed a cabinet meeting in Ankara for Starmer’s visit.

MEE has contacted Downing Street for comment.

Turkish pilots have not previously flown European-made fighter jets, as Ankara traditionally operates US-made F-16s and other models.  

The proposed deal would include the latest Eurofighter variant, known as Tranche 4, which features upgraded avionics and radar systems.  

The Turkish Air Force is rapidly becoming outdated and urgently needs a stopgap solution until its domestically produced Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet enters service in 2028.  

To speed up delivery, Turkey signed an agreement earlier this month to purchase used Eurofighter jets from Qatar, a Turkish official familiar with the issue told MEE.  

Meanwhile, Turkish broadcaster NTV reported that the UK would prioritise Ankara's order by delivering aircraft currently being built for the RAF.