UK Sells 20 Eurofighter Typhoons to Türkiye

Türkiye and the UK signed a roughly £8 billion deal for Britain to sell 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, signed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Ankara, with first deliveries expected from 2030. BAE Systems will assemble the aircraft in the UK, with roughly 500 jobs at its Warton site reported protected; the package reportedly includes newly built jets and transfers from Qatar and Oman, and German export objections have been resolved. Reuters and UK officials say the package includes a comprehensive weapons fit, including MBDA Meteor air-to-air missiles and Brimstone ground-attack missiles. UK officials and press have framed the sale as a boost to British jobs, industry and NATO security, while critics raised concerns about the cost and Türkiye’s human-rights record. The purchase is part of Türkiye’s broader effort to modernize its fleet after missing out on F-35s and follows other recent defence buys such as US F-16s. Separately, Türkiye agreed to buy 12 former RAF C-130J-30 Super Hercules transports and awarded Marshall Aerospace a multi-year contract for entry-into-service, sustainment, spares and training to integrate them into the Turkish Air Force, prompting questions about the future of the 222 Filo Hercules upgrade programme.