- Türkiye has ordered 20 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets in a deal worth over £5bn, with BAE Systems a major beneficiary
- Ankara has been shopping around for advanced fourth and fifth generation aircraft, most notably the US F-35
- Previous US security concerns over Ankara’s acquisition of Russian air defence systems appear not to have hampered the agreement
The UK’s Eurofighter production line at BAE Systems’ Warton site has been granted a stay of execution following an order by Türkiye for 20 Typhoon fighters in what is a lifeline for the UK’s aerospace sector.
Announcing the contract agreement on 27 October, UK defence prime BAE Systems said the £5.4bn ($7.2bn) deal will see the company manufacture major airframe components and conduct final assembly of the aircraft and lead weapons integration at its sites in Lancashire.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
BAE Systems is the UK lead on the Eurofighter programme with a 37.5% workshare with European defence primes, including Airbus, and has responsibility for design, production, upgrade, sustainment, and export of Typhoon to key international markets.
The weapons package itself will be primarily provided by pan-European missile prime MBDA, of which BAE Systems holds a 37.5% share.
Türkiye will become the tenth operator of the Eurofighter Typhoon alongside the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. The first aircraft will be delivered in 2030.
Negotiations with Türkiye had become critical following the UK’s decision to opt for a shift in plans to acquire F-35A stealth fighters from the US, instead of supporting its own defence ecosystem.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataWhile BAE Systems also manages the UK’s industrial share of the F-35 programme, it does not support as many jobs as the earlier Eurofighter endeavour and plays the role of junior partner to US giant Lockheed Martin.
It is widely anticipated the Eurofighter production line will transfer over to building the future-generation GCAP fighter, but uncertain timelines for this programme have raised concerns over skills loss, similar to what happened with the UK’s naval submarine sector.
BAE Systems aerospace engineers recently voted to initiate strike action at the company’s Warton site, expected to begin in November.
Türkiye opts for Typhoon in apparent US snub
Türkiye has been shopping for advanced fourth and fifth generation combat aircraft, notably pursuing the US-origin F-35, a programme it was kicked out of in 2019 following Ankara’s acquisition of the S-400 air defence systems from Russia.
Russia retains close ties with Türkiye, and questions could be raised over the decision to export the Eurofighter to Ankara, which could offer Moscow insight into capabilities of the Typhoon.
It is uncertain whether Türkiye’s purchase of the Eurofighter will have any impact on an earlier deal with the US to acquire 40 new F-16 Block 70 fighters and 79 modernisation kits to upgrade its existing inventory. Currently, The Turkish Air Force operates over 200 F-16 C/D fighters.
Türkiye is also pursuing the development of its own indigenous combat fighter programme, dubbed KAAN, which is claimed to be a fifth-generation platform.
According to analysis conducted by GlobalData, Türkiye’s defence budget increase significant since the start of the decade from $13.4bn in 2020 to $44.5bn in 2024.
