Turkey secures 44 Eurofighter jets, final 12 still under negotiation: report

20.02.2026

By Turkish Minute

Source:https://www.turkishminute.com/2026/02/20/turkey-secures-44-eurofighter-jets-final-12-still-under-negotiation-report/

Turkey has secured a guaranteed minimum of 44 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets and could expand the fleet to 56 depending on talks with Qatar and Oman, according to Turkish defense outlet TurDef.

The reported structure totals 44 aircraft in three blocks: 20 newly built jets under an intergovernmental production agreement signed with the United Kingdom in October; 12 Tranche 3A aircraft from the Qatari Air Force equipped with the ECRS Mk0 active electronically scanned array radar; and a further 12 aircraft that have been secured within the overall framework but whose source has not been publicly clarified, whether Qatar or Oman.

A final block of 12 aircraft remains under negotiation. If that tranche is also secured, Turkey’s Eurofighter fleet would reach 56 aircraft, the report said.

Training, infrastructure planning begins in the UK

The Turkish Ministry of Defense said a delegation will conduct a working visit to Royal Air Force Coningsby in the United Kingdom from February 24 through February 27 to begin planning the first training phases for aircrew and ground personnel.

Ministry spokesperson Rear Adm. Zeki Aktürk made the announcement at a weekly press briefing on Thursday. The visit points to a training-first timeline and undercuts earlier media reports that Eurofighter aircraft could arrive in Turkey by the end of February.

Turkey’s sustainment approach requires personnel qualification and maintenance infrastructure to be in place before a new platform enters service. Under that doctrine, pilot and technician training is the first milestone, followed by the establishment of the maintenance ecosystem. Initial heavy maintenance is expected to be carried out at the 1st Air Maintenance Factory Directorate in Eskişehir, operated by Military Factory and Shipyard Management Inc. (ASFAT) under the ministry’s authority.

Turkey and the United Kingdom signed the Eurofighter procurement agreement on October 27 during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Ankara. Starmer described the deal as worth 8 billion British pounds ($10.7 billion). Turkey’s Defense Ministry later said the cost of the 20 newly manufactured jets, mission equipment and ammunition totals about 5.4 billion pounds.

The agreement includes an option for Turkey to purchase additional aircraft beyond the initial 20.

A source familiar with the deal told Reuters that the weapons package includes MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missiles, advanced short-range air-to-air missiles and Brimstone precision ground-attack missiles, with first deliveries expected in 2030.

Turkey has sought to modernize its air fleet since it was expelled from the US-led F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program in 2019 over its purchase of Russia’s S-400 missile defense system.