Türkiye reached deals with NATO allies Britain and Germany on Wednesday that pave the way to acquiring dozens of Eurofighter Typhoon jets, which Ankara has sought to bolster defenses in an increasingly volatile region.
Britain signed a preliminary deal allowing Ankara to operate the jets while Germany approved delivery of 40 of them to Türkiye, which has relied on both foreign purchases and its own defense industry projects, including domestic jets, to ramp up deterrence.
Beyond the Eurofighters, Ankara is also in talks with Washington to purchase 40 F-16s, Reuters reported.
Israel's attacks on regional countries, including its 12-day conflict with Türkiye's neighbor Iran and more recent strikes on another neighbor Syria, have unnerved Ankara, prompting a push for rapid armament in order to counter any potential threats.
Türkiye has been in talks since 2023 to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoons, which are built by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain, represented by Airbus , BAE Systems and Leonardo.
Speaking at a signing ceremony with British Defense Secretary John Healey in Istanbul, Defense Minister Yasar Guler said the deal brought Türkiye "one step closer to a fully comprehensive agreement" on the jets, adding it would also strengthen NATO and Türkiye's aerial capabilities.
"We welcome this positive step toward our country joining the Eurofighter Typhoon club, and want to reiterate our mutual ambition to complete the necessary arrangements as soon as possible," he said.
Guler also told reporters that the composition of the planned acquisition was for 40 jets but that different options were being considered.
