Starmer signs £8 billion Typhoon fighter jet deal with Turkey
Britain has agreed to sell 20 Typhoon jets to Türkiye in a deal worth up to £8 billion.
Sir Keir Starmer signed the deal in Ankara on Monday, describing it as “a win for British workers, a win for our defense industry and a victory for NATO security”.
It is the biggest fighter jet deal in almost 20 years and the first new UK Typhoon order since 2017, supporting thousands of British jobs.
Sir Keir stated that the agreement also represents a boost to NATO’s security, telling broadcasters in Türkiye: “Locking this capability in the UK is really important for NATO.”
Monday’s deal represents the outcome of long-running discussions in which Ankara has reportedly been looking to buy the Typhoon since 2023.
In July, Defense Minister John Healey signed a memorandum of understanding with his Turkish counterpart, paving the way for the export deal, after it was reported that Germany had signed the agreement.
The jets, also known as Eurofighters, are produced in partnership with the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy.
Approximately 37 percent of production takes place in the United Kingdom; this includes final assembly at BAE Systems factories in Warton and Samlesbury, near Preston, Lancashire.
Downing Street said the Typhoon program directly supported around 6,000 jobs at the two sites and Monday’s deal saved the Warton production line.
The program has also supported more than 1,100 jobs in South West England, including the Rolls-Royce factory in Bristol, and 800 jobs in Scotland.
Mr Healey said: “This is another major export deal for the UK and the biggest jet export deal in a generation.
“This will pump billions of pounds into our economy and keep British Typhoon production lines rolling long into the future.
“This agreement goes far beyond the purchase of aircraft.
“This is a precursor to the growing defense and industrial partnership between our two nations.”
Previous reports suggested Britain would agree to provide 40 jets instead of the 20 announced on Monday.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said 20 jets were “still a significant number” and that it was “a decision in terms of future orders based on Turkish operational requirements”.
The first delivery of the new jets is expected to take place in 2030.
Although Sir Keir’s visit to Ankara was his first to Türkiye since becoming Prime Minister, he has met with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan many times at international summits.
During his visit, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the modern Republic of Turkey, before concluding the Typhoon agreement at the presidential palace in Ankara.
