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Britain has agreed to sell 20 Typhoon jets to Turkey in a deal worth up to £8 billion. Sir Keir Starmer (Labour) signed the agreement during a visit to Ankara on Monday, describing it as "a win for British workers, a win for our defence industry, and a win for Nato security".
The agreement represents the largest fighter jet deal in almost 20 years and the first new order for UK Typhoons since 2017. Monday's deal concludes long-running discussions, with Ankara reportedly seeking to buy Typhoons since 2023.
Strategic partnership expansion
Defence Secretary John Healey described the agreement as going far beyond aircraft procurement. "This deal goes far beyond the procurement of aircraft," Healey said. "It is the leading edge of the growing defence and industrial partnership between our two nations."
The Prime Minister emphasised the strategic importance for Nato security, telling broadcasters in Turkey: "Having that capability locked in with the United Kingdom is really important for Nato." In July, Healey had signed a memorandum of understanding with his Turkish counterpart paving the way for the export deal after Germany reportedly signed up to the agreement.
Clarification on aircraft numbers
Previous reporting suggested the UK would agree to provide 40 jets, rather than the 20 announced on Monday. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said 20 jets was "still a significant number" and it was "a decision for the Turks in terms of future orders based on their operational requirements".
The first delivery of the new jets is expected to take place in 2030. Healey called it "another major export deal for the UK and is the biggest jet exports deal in a generation" that will "pump billions of pounds into our economy and keep British Typhoon production lines turning long into the future".
Major boost for British jobs
The contract will support thousands of British jobs across multiple locations. Downing Street said the Typhoon programme directly supports nearly 6,000 jobs at BAE Systems plants in Warton and Samlesbury, near Preston, Lancashire, with Monday's deal saving the Warton production line.
The programme also supports more than 1,100 jobs in the South West of England, including at the Rolls-Royce plant in Bristol, and 800 jobs in Scotland. The jets, also known as Eurofighters, are produced in a partnership between the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy, with around 37 per cent of the production taking place in the UK.
Diplomatic significance
Starmer's visit to Ankara marked his first trip to Turkey since becoming Prime Minister, although he has met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan several times at international summits. During his visit, the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of the modern Turkish Republic, before finalising the Typhoon deal at the presidential palace in Ankara.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
