Turkey is likely to announce a preliminary multi-billion-dollar procurement deal for European fighter jets as early as this week, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing two people familiar with the negotiations.
The Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets rival the US F-35 fighter jets, made by Lockheed Martin. Israel signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance in June of last year to acquire its third F-35 squadron for its Air Force, which includes 25 aircraft.
The contract for the European fighter jets would be for a maximum of 40 jets, although the details are still under negotiations, according to the WSJ.
The European jets are built by a consortium of Europe’s three largest defense companies: BAE Systems, Airbus, and Leonardo.
In 2023, talks over Turkey’s acquisition of the fighter jets failed due to Germany’s reluctance to approve an export license over concerns about the country’s foreign policy. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization member has, in recent years, aligned itself with Russia, China, and Ankara has hosted members of terror organizations, notably Hamas leadership.
At a press conference in London last week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that negotiators were nearing a decision that would make an export license feasible, WSJ reported, citing two sources.
UK leading efforts to expand fighter jet exports
The UK is leading the export campaign for the Typhoon fighter jet, according to a spokesperson for the UK Defense Ministry, the report noted. A principle of agreement between the UK and Turkey for the export of the fighter jets could be announced at the International Defense Industry Fair in Istanbul, sources said, according to the report.
Talks are also underway with Qatar and Austria. Saudi Arabia, another potential buyer, is more focused on the American F-35 jets, the report said, citing a source familiar with the matter.
In May, the US agreed to sell the Gulf state an arms package worth nearly $142 billion.