Türkiye might buy Eurofighter

On 13 November 2024, Türkiye’s Defence Minister Yasar Güler officially announced that Germany has authorised the potential sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Türkiye.

Germany, after initially opposing the move, has instructed its sales authority to proceed with discussions regarding the sale. According to various sources, Türkiye is interested in acquiring 40 Typhoons.

It is important to note that no contract or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed yet.

Türkiye has been exploring various programmes to modernise its fighter aircraft fleet since the early 2020s. The F-16 Fighting Falcons, introduced in the 1980s, are now due for replacement. While the country initially considered upgrading its F-16s or acquiring fifth-generation F-35s, its participation in the F-35 programme was suspended in 2019 due to diplomatic tensions with the US, stemming from Türkiye’s purchase of the Russian S-400 air defence system.

In January 2024, Scramble Magazine first reported on a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of 40 new Lockheed Martin F-16 Block 70 aircraft, along with plans to upgrade 79 F-16s in the current fleet to the V-Configuration.

In addition to the Eurofighter, Türkiye has initiated the development of its own fifth-generation fighter jet, the TAI KAAN, to enhance long-term autonomy in its air defence capabilities.

During a television interview on 13 November, Defence Minister Yasar Güler confirmed that Türkiye intends to acquire the Eurofighter. The timing of the necessary steps to finalise the contract remains to be seen.

Credit photo (just illustrative): Oliver Larsson (Scramble Archive)