Britain has finalised a landmark agreement to sell 20 Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey in a deal worth up to £8 billion. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer signed the deal during his visit to Ankara, calling it “a win for British workers, a win for our defence industry, and a win for Nato security”. The agreement marks the largest fighter jet export in nearly two decades and the first new Typhoon order since 2017, safeguarding thousands of jobs across the UK defence sector.
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The jets, produced through a partnership between the UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy, will see around 37 per cent of production take place in Britain, including final assembly at BAE Systems plants in Warton and Samlesbury, Lancashire. Downing Street confirmed the Typhoon programme directly supports nearly 6,000 jobs at these facilities, alongside hundreds more at Rolls-Royce in Bristol and defence firms in Scotland. Defence Secretary John Healey hailed the deal as “the biggest jet export in a generation”, adding that it would inject billions into the economy while strengthening industrial and military ties with Turkey.
The first deliveries of the new aircraft are expected in 2030, with the agreement concluding years of negotiations. Although earlier reports suggested Turkey was seeking up to 40 jets, government officials said the 20 confirmed aircraft remain a “significant order”, with potential for future expansion based on Turkish operational needs. Sir Keir also met President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his visit, where discussions included the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, and a commitment to relaunch Tatli Dil, a UK–Turkey forum aimed at enhancing cooperation in business, science, and government.
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However, human rights organisations urged caution. Amnesty International’s foreign affairs director Polly Truscott called on the Prime Minister to address Turkey’s “massive crackdown on human rights”, warning that trade agreements must not “exacerbate or provide diplomatic cover for human rights abuses”. Despite such concerns, government officials described the deal as a strategic step forward for Britain’s role in global defence and its partnership within Nato.
