Türkiye buys 20 Eurofighter Typhoons in £8 billion British deal
October 27, 2025
The government of Türkiye has today signed up to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets from the UK, in a deal worth £8 billion.
Calling the agreement ‘the biggest fighter jet deal in a generation,’ the deal was signed as the Prime Minister was hosted by the President of Türkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, during his first visit to Ankara today.
“This landmark agreement with Türkiye is a win for British workers, a win for our defence industry, and a win for NATO security,” says UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. “At either ends of Europe, the UK and Türkiye are vital to tackling the challenges of our time, and this will allow our Armed Forces to work even closer together as we deter threats and protect our national interests.”
Although rumours had been circulating that the Turkish Typhoon order would be for around 40 aircraft, the 20-jet deal is still significant, particularly for UK production. It’s the first new order for UK Typhoons since 2017, a move that the UK government says has ‘saved’ the BAE Systems production line in Warton.
The first aircraft are expected to be delivered in 2030.
Türkiye Typhoon order secures thousands of UK jobs
The landmark deal with Türkiye is worth more than an aircraft to the UK. Earlier this summer, alarm bells were rung as the production site in Warton, Lancashire, ground to a halt with no new orders in the pipeline.
Other orders continue production at sites in Germany, Italy and Spain, but the lack of orders for the UK-manufactured aircraft risked the viability of the assembly lines in Britain.
Now, with Türkiye’s order confirmed, the UK can confidently assure domestic production for years to come. Starmer stated that the deal will secure upwards of 20,000 UK jobs at sites including Warton, Edinburgh and Bristol.
“Typhoon is an export success story and demonstrates how investment in defence can fuel significant economic growth and returns across the UK,” says BAE Systems Chief Executive, Charles Woodburn. “Today’s announcement extends Typhoon production and preserves crucial sovereign skills which underpin the UK’s defence and security.”
Nearly 6,000 jobs are directly tied to the Typhoon programme at BAE Systems’ Warton and Samlesbury sites, where the aircraft’s production and final assembly take place.
Across the wider UK, the programme sustains over 1,100 roles in the South West, centred on Rolls-Royce in Bristol, which builds key components for the EJ200 engines and serves as the main maintenance hub.
In Scotland, more than 800 jobs are supported through Leonardo’s Edinburgh facility, where the Typhoon’s advanced radar systems are developed and manufactured.
Türkiye will be the 10th nation to fly the Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is one of Europe’s most successful multi-role combat aircraft, jointly developed by the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain through a consortium of BAE Systems, Airbus, and Leonardo.
Since entering service in 2003, it has become the backbone of several NATO and allied air forces, offering advanced air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, high agility, and cutting-edge avionics.
The aircraft is currently operated by ten nations. The four founding partners—the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain—remain its largest users, each contributing to production and long-term upgrades.
Beyond Europe, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, and Kuwait have all procured Typhoons to modernise their fighter fleets, while Austria operates a smaller contingent acquired in the mid-2000s.
With its latest order for 20 jets, Türkiye (Turkey) becomes the tenth operator, marking the aircraft’s first entry into the Turkish Air Force and expanding its footprint across NATO’s southern flank.
