Turkey plans to buy 20 Eurofighter Typhoons from the United Kingdom, a windfall for UK-based contractor BAE Systems.

The “fourth-generation-plus” Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet is currently in service with nine countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain—the nations that were part of the original consortium that developed and now play a role in the multirole fighter’s production. The remaining nations are Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar. A tenth nation, Turkey, was approved as the latest export customer last October, and it was announced last week that production has begun on its 20 Typhoons, with deliveries for the initial six set to begin in 2030, and for the final aircraft due by 2032.

The jets will be produced on the Eurofighter Tranche 4 configuration, and will include air-to-air and air-to-ground munitions and mission pods.

About the Eurofighter Typhoon

• Year Introduced: 2003
• Number Built: 609 (+ 7 prototypes)
• Length: 15.96 m (52 ft 4 in)
• Wingspan: 10.95 m (35 ft 11 in)
• Weight: 23,500 kg (35,274 lb) MTOW
• Engines: Two Eurojet EJ200 afterburning turbofan engines, 60 kN (13,500 lbf) thrust each dry
• Top Speed: 2,495 km/h (1,550 mph), Mach 2.35
• Combat Radius: 1,389 km (863 mi)
• Service Ceiling: 16,764 m (55,000 ft)
• Loadout: One 27mm Mauser BK-27 revolver cannon; 13 hardpoints (8 under wing, 5 under-fuselage pylon stations); 9,000 kg (19,800 lb) total payload capacity
• Aircrew: 1-2, depending on variant

Originally developed to rival Soviet aircraft at the end of the Cold War, the Eurofighter Typhoon is a product of European collaboration between Germany, Italy, the UK, and later Spain. (France was an initial participant, before exiting the program and developing the competing Dassault Rafale fighter jet.) The aircraft’s unique design leverages advanced features, including canard foreplanes, carbon-fiber composites, and a digital fly-by-wire system, ensuring enhanced maneuverability and stealth.

The New Typhoons Are a Great Deal for BAE Systems

The UK-based BAE Systems, which raised its profit and sales outlook for the year, confirmed that manufacturing on the multirole fighters is now underway in the British Isles and “across the Eurofighter partner nations.”

The British aerospace firm, which is part of the Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH joint venture with partner companies Airbus and Leonardo, has indicated that production may need to be ramped up to meet the increased demand from export orders. BAE Systems is the prime contractor on the deal with NATO ally Turkey, and the current contract for the 20 aircraft was valued at £2.5 billion ($3.36 billion), including spare parts, maintenance, training, and support, which will last for three years after the Typhoons enter service.

BAE chief executive Charles Woodburn pointed to ongoing and potential conflicts around the world, notably in the Middle East, which could further drive sales, suggesting that the “global threat picture remains highly volatile and governments are responding with sustained increases in their defence budgets.”

Turkish Pilots and Mechanics Already Heading to the UK

Training on the Eurofighter Typhoon will encompass the pilots, engineers, and maintenance crews, with the Royal Air Force (RAF) providing flight instruction to 10 Turkish instructor aviators beginning this month in the UK. In addition, about 100 maintenance instructors will begin training this fall.

The goal is to ensure that the Turkish military has the operational and technical groundwork laid before any of the new Eurofighter fighters arrive in just four years’ time.

Ankara may want to get its pilots and crews up to speed as it seeks to obtain secondhand Typhoon Tranche 3A jets from Qatar to provide a bridge until the new aircraft are delivered. Last year, a deal was closed in which Turkey would receive 12 of the aircraft. However, Doha paused that transfer in the spring of 2026, amid regional defense concerns after the United States and Israel began their aerial campaign against Iran. 

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu has contributed to dozens of newspapers, magazines and websites over a 30-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a contributing writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. He is based in Michigan. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.

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