According to Bloomberg, Türkiye is on the verge of concluding a deal with the Eurofighter consortium to acquire 40 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. This strategic negotiation reportedly took place on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Washington, which was held from July 9 to 11, 2024. The agreement aims to modernize the Turkish Air Force by incorporating the Typhoons, with the leaders of the four member countries of the consortium directly involved in the discussions.
To finance this contract, which could well be around €8 to €10 billion, Turkish government would be ready to reduce the volume of the order for 40 F-16Vs and 80 modernization kits for its F-16 C/D, a contract worth €23 billion. $ for the American defense industry, announced a few months ago.
According to Turkish statements, Ankara’s now fully expressed interest in the Eurofighter Typhoon, rather than for F-16Vs, would be the consequence of the delivery, by France, of fighters Rafale to Greece, and the announcement made by Athens, regarding its intention to acquire the American F-35, of which Türkiye remains deprived.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a multi-role combat aircraft developed by a consortium of European aerospace companies, including Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo. Designed for a wide range of air operations, the Typhoon features a delta wing and canard configuration, providing significant maneuverability. The aircraft is intended to meet both current and future operational needs, with continuous upgrades keeping it updated with combat aviation technology. It has a maximum takeoff weight of 23,500 kg and a maximum speed of Mach 2.0.