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German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius officially confirmed in Berlin that "the federal government has positively decided on an industry preliminary inquiry," clearing the way for Türkiye's purchase of 40 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets and removing the final major obstacle to a deal worth billions of dollars.
The German approval comes as a crucial breakthrough for the European fighter jet export, as the Eurofighter program requires unanimous consent from all four manufacturing partners.
Since Germany participates in the European joint project, the combat aircraft cannot be exported without the federal government's approval, making Berlin's decision essential for any potential sale.
According to reports from German news magazine Der Spiegel, the German government cleared the path for delivery of the 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Türkiye following a positive decision by the federal security council.
Previous attempts to finalize the deal had reportedly failed due to missing approval from Berlin, making Wednesday's confirmation a decisive moment for the long-discussed arms sale.
The German announcement came as Turkish and British defense ministers signed a memorandum of understanding during the 17th International Defense Industry Fair in Istanbul. British Defense Secretary John Healey called the agreement a "major step" toward Türkiye's purchase of the Eurofighter jets.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the multi-billion-dollar deal would preserve 20,000 jobs for years to come, according to an official statement. London described the agreement as bringing the two countries "a decisive step closer" to finalizing the arrangement.
Türkiye's exclusion from the U.S. F-35 fighter program has driven Ankara to seek alternative aircraft. Washington removed Türkiye from the F-35 program in 2019 after Ankara purchased Russia's S-400 missile defense system.
U.S. officials feared the sophisticated radar capabilities of the S-400 could compromise the stealth technology of American F-35 jets.
However, Turkish defense ministry officials told German news agency dpa that the Eurofighter purchase is not connected to the F-35 dispute, but rather represents an effort to diversify Türkiye's defense capabilities.
The Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement that both defense ministers "reaffirmed the strength of the Türkiye-United Kingdom partnership" and emphasized the importance of their long-standing defense cooperation through NATO. The ministry added that Türkiye's acceptance as a Typhoon user would "further strengthen the bonds of friendship that have developed over decades between key NATO allies."
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently told reporters that "the British and Germans are approaching this positively" and expressed hope that Türkiye would "receive our jet planes as soon as possible."
The deal represents a significant boost for the Eurofighter consortium, which includes Germany's Airbus, Britain's BAE Systems, and Italy's Leonardo. The agreement is expected to enhance NATO's collective deterrence capabilities while strengthening defense industrial ties between Türkiye and Britain.
Türkiye, a NATO member since 1952, has been working to modernize its air force capabilities amid regional security challenges. The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, multi-role combat aircraft that has been in service with several European air forces since 2003.
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