The UK has struck an £8 billion defence deal with Turkey for the purchase of 20 Typhoon fighter jets, marking the largest fighter export agreement in nearly two decades and securing 20,000 skilled jobs across Britain.
Signed in Ankara during Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s first official visit to the country, the contract represents the first new Typhoon order since 2017. The deal will sustain UK production lines in Warton, Samlesbury, Bristol and Edinburgh for years to come, while strengthening NATO’s collective deterrence.
“This landmark agreement with Turkey is a win for British workers, a win for our defence industry, and a win for NATO security,” said Prime Minister Starmer. “It will allow our Armed Forces to work even closer together as we deter threats and protect our national interests.”
Under the Typhoon programme, 37% of each aircraft will be built in the UK by the Eurofighter consortium. Nearly 6,000 roles at BAE Systems in Warton and Samlesbury will support production and assembly. Rolls-Royce in Bristol will maintain over 1,100 posts for the EJ200 engine, while Leonardo in Edinburgh will continue to produce advanced radar systems, sustaining more than 800 Scottish jobs.
Defence Secretary John Healey said: “This is another major export deal for the UK and the biggest jet deal in a generation. It will pump billions into our economy and keep British Typhoon production lines turning long into the future. Turkey is a key NATO ally and by equipping them with top-of-the-range Typhoon fighters, we strengthen NATO deterrence and help make us all safer.”
BAE Systems Chief Executive Charles Woodburn added: “Turkey’s procurement of Typhoon marks the start of a new chapter in our longstanding partnership. This deal reinforces the aircraft’s role as a pillar of defence and security across Europe and the Middle East.”
The first deliveries of the Typhoons are expected in 2030. They will bolster NATO’s air policing, homeland security and overseas operations, continuing the fighter’s role as the backbone of the RAF’s combat air fleet.
