UK and Türkiye sign MoU on export of Typhoons, bringing deal much closer

The governments of the United Kingdom and Türkiye signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) at the IDEF 2025 defence exhibition in Istanbul on 23 July that brings a sale of Eurofighter Typhoons to Turkey a significant step closer.

The MoU was signed at IDEF 2025 by UK Defence Secretary John Healey and Turkish Defence Minister Yaşar Güler. Negotiations on the potential deal, which would be the first export order the UK has secured for the Eurofighter consortium since 2017, will now continue over the coming weeks.

Final production of Typhoons bound for Türkiye under a future deal would see final production take place at BAE Systems’ site in Warton, Lancashire.

While Turkey has expressed an interest in acquiring 40 Typhoons for some time, the previous government in Germany, as one of the Eurofighter nations along with the UK, Spain and Italy, had resisted such a sale. However, the current German government, which came to power in February 2025, gave a green light for the exporting of Typhoons to Türkiye on 23 July following a positive decision by its Federal Security Council.

Speaking after the signing of the MoU in Istanbul, Healey stated, “Today’s agreement is a big step towards Türkiye buying UK Typhoon fighter jets. It shows this government’s determination to secure new defence deals, building on our relationships abroad to deliver for British working people. Equipping Türkiye with Typhoons would strengthen NATO’s collective defence and boost both our countries’ industrial bases by securing thousands of skilled jobs across the UK for years to come.”

In a press release following news of the MoU signing in Istanbul, BAE Systems noted that the Typhoon programme supports on average around 21,000 UK jobs, including highly skilled engineering jobs, annually contributing GBP 1.4 billion (EUR 1.6 billion) in exports and generating around GBP 1.6 billion to the UK economy.

“BAE Systems will continue to work closely with the governments of Türkiye and the UK to formalise an agreement for procurement of Typhoon aircraft and associated supplies in due course,” the company stated.