Khaberni - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan signed a contract on Monday to purchase 20 "Eurofighter Typhoon" aircraft during the reception of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Ankara.
While standing next to Starmer, Erdoğan welcomed this agreement, considering it a "new symbol" of the strategic relations between Ankara and London.
The British Ministry of Defense stated that this is the "largest contract for (purchasing) fighter aircraft" in years, noting that "the initial deliveries will be made in 2030".
During the signing ceremony, the British Prime Minister said about this deal valued at 8 billion British pounds (9.2 billion euros) that Turkey defends the "southeastern flank of NATO," and this deal will secure 20,000 jobs in the United Kingdom.
Industrial Partnership
Erdoğan said that cooperation regarding the "Eurofighter Typhoon" aircraft with the United Kingdom will open the door to joint projects in the defense industries, considering the agreement between the two countries a "new milestone in the strategic relations between Turkey and Britain as close allies."
On his part, British Defence Secretary John Healey, who visited Ankara with the Prime Minister to finalize the deal, said that the deal "goes beyond just purchasing aircraft... It constitutes a major component of the growing industrial and defense partnership between the two countries."
The Turkish President, eager to modernize the country's air fleet, aims to purchase 40 aircraft of this model, which is manufactured by a consortium comprising 4 European countries (the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain).
Ankara, which initially preferred American "F-35" aircraft, has shifted its focus in recent years to "Eurofighter" aircraft after being excluded from the American fighter jet program due to its purchase of the Russian "S-400" air defense system.
The Turkish President and the British Prime Minister chaired an extended meeting between officials from both countries in Ankara, where some agreements were signed and the importance of maintaining the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip was emphasized.
