The UK has sealed a deal with Turkey for the sale of a batch of 20 Eurofighter jets for €9.16 billion, as announced on Monday evening by a representative of the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Kier Starmer.

Starmer made his first visit to Turkey, with earlier reports in the day suggesting that apart from talks on bilateral matters and strengthening ties, his meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was about signing off on a preliminary deal last June, finalizing the procurement of 40 Eurofighter Typhoons.

Citing geopolitical pundits, international media reports that Ankara is rushing to upgrade its air force fleet to keep up with rising competition from actors in the wider region (reports do not allude specifically to Greece and Israel).

Its goal is to “fill the technology gap” until it begins production of its own fifth-generation Kaan fighter jets in 2028.

Message from Starmer himself


Labour Party leader Keir Starmer posted a related video on his account on X, stating that the agreement with Turkey will secure 20,000 jobs in the United Kingdom.

Visit by Merz

Starmer’s visit comes just days before that of Friedrich Merz, scheduled for the 30th of the month, also marking the German chancellor’s first official visit to Turkey. That visit, too, is expected to focus mainly on the Eurofighter issue.

Germany’s previously cautious stance appears to have shifted, particularly following recent agreements with Qatar and Oman.

The fallout from the S-400 mistake

Turkey, meanwhile, is seeking to resolve the impasse over the F-35 fighter jets and to proceed with the upgrade of its existing F-16 fleet. Analysts note that Ankara’s push to acquire Eurofighters and its urgency to address the gap in its air power are direct consequences of its exclusion from the F-35 program following the purchase of Russian S-400 missile systems.