Meeting Erdogan, British PM Discusses Plan To Sell 40 Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter Jets

JAKARTA - British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will discuss plans to sell 40 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey when he meets President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara.

Starmer's first visit to Turkey on Monday, October 27, since taking office last year, comes amid efforts by the two NATO allies to deepen defense cooperation.

The purchase of these fighter jets is also Ankara's attempt to use these advanced jets to strengthen its air power and pursue regional competitors, including Israel.

Last week, Reuters reported citing sources that Ankara proposed to its allies in Europe and the US ways to immediately get advanced fighter jets, amid negotiations for the purchase of 40 Eurofighter Typhoons and F-16s and US F-35s.

Someone familiar with the matter said that based on an almost reached agreement with the UK regarding Typhoon, Turkey would soon receive 12 Typhoon units, although used, from previous buyers, Qatar and Oman, to meet its urgent needs. 28 new units will come in the years to come.

In July, Ankara and London signed an initial purchase agreement approved by consortium members of Eurofighter, UK, Germany, Italy and Spain, represented by Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo.

Last week, Erdogan visited Qatar and Oman to discuss the purchase plans.

Erdogan's office said he and Starmer would also hold talks on bilateral relations as well as regional and global issues.