Ahead of Foreign Minister Wadephul’s visit to Ankara, Germany approves Eurofighter sale led by Airbus
A spokesperson for the German Foreign Ministry announced that they have agreed to initiate negotiations on the delivery of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey. The spokesperson said, “The German government has responded positively to Airbus’s request for preliminary negotiations on the delivery of Eurofighters to Turkey. These aircraft will be used within the NATO framework for collective defense purposes.”
Additionally, it was noted that Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will travel to Ankara on Friday to discuss the matter with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan. Since 2023, Turkey has been negotiating the purchase of 40 Eurofighter jets produced by a consortium consisting of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain.
Germany, which initially opposed the sale, has changed its stance. While the United Kingdom conducts negotiations on behalf of the consortium, a preliminary agreement was signed in July for the modernization of Turkey’s air fleet. The German government also sent a written document to the Turkish government confirming the export approval, clearing the way for delivery.
In addition to the Eurofighters, Turkey is continuing negotiations with the United States for the purchase of F-16s and is maintaining contacts for a potential return to the program after being removed from the F-35 program due to the previous S-400 acquisition. Turkey, which has NATO’s second-largest army, has strengthened its independent defense capabilities over the past 20 years by increasing domestic production in response to arms embargoes.
Turkey’s domestically developed fifth-generation fighter jet, named Kaan, will enter serial production in 2028 and will replace the old F-16 fleet from the 2030s onwards. The country also has a broad defense industry portfolio, including unmanned aerial vehicles, missiles, and naval ships.
