Türkiye Purchases 20 Eurofighter Jets from the UK, President Erdoğan Says

President Erdogan and PM Starmer signed a Turkish-British cooperation. (Twitter/@RTErdogan)

JAKARTA - The purchase of Eurofighter fighter jets is a new symbol of Turkey's strategic relationship with the UK, said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Turkey and the UK signed a £8 billion (IDR177,486,480,000,000) deal for the purchase of 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, strengthening bilateral defense cooperation between the two North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said the implementation arrangements for the procurement of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets were signed during an inter-delegation meeting.

"I view this agreement as a new symbol of the strategic relationship between our two close allies. I am confident that this cooperation with the UK will also pave the way for joint projects in the defense industry," President Erdoğan explained, as reported by Daily Sabah on October 28.

Meanwhile, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the fighter jet deal between the two countries would strengthen security within NATO and enhance bilateral cooperation in the defense industry.

London said Ankara would receive the first of 20 Typhoons by 2030. Starmer said the deal, for which talks began in 2023, includes an option to buy more, according to Reuters.

In addition to the fighter jets, the two leaders announced the launch of the first bilateral cooperation framework between the UK and Turkey.

Prime Minister Starmer called it "a landmark moment that reflects the deepening and breadth of our existing cooperation and our ambition to go further."

President Erdoğan, meanwhile, said: "We are committed to increasing our trade volume with the UK, initially from USD30 billion to USD40 billion. We are determined to strengthen our economic ties."

Separately, Defense Minister Yaşar Güler noted that overall, Turkey will buy 12 Eurofighters from Qatar, 12 from Oman, and 20 from the UK.

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

Germany initially blocked the sale, but lifted its objection in July, paving the way for the sale.

Last week, President Erdoğan visited Qatar and Oman to discuss the planned purchase, which the president said was moving in a "positive" direction.