Newsletters
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to press for progress on two key defense deals during sideline meetings at the NATO summit in The Hague: the joint production of the SAMP/T missile defense system with France and Italy, and the acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoon jets with support from Germany and the U.K.
Turkish officials say these deals are critical to bolstering Türkiye’s defense autonomy, especially in light of ongoing geopolitical challenges in the Middle East and Ukraine.
According to Bloomberg, Erdogan will seek to persuade French President Emmanuel Macron to lift objections to co-producing the urosam SAMP/T system, a European-made long-range air and missile defense system.
Türkiye views co-production as essential for building its own integrated “steel dome” defense shield within the next few years.
Although Italy has reportedly expressed no objection, Macron has previously conditioned cooperation on clarifying Türkiye's role in Syria. Macron has also voiced concerns over Türkiye’s influence in Africa and disputes with Greece and Greek Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean—points that continue to strain Ankara-Paris relations.
The SAMP/T system, developed by France’s Eurosam consortium, uses Aster 30 Block I missiles with a 120 km engagement range. Newer variants, Block I NT and Block II, are under development to enhance defense against ballistic threats. Türkiye signed a tripartite agreement with Eurosam, Aselsan, and Roketsan in 2018 to co-develop a long-range missile defense solution under the LORAMIDS program.
Turkish officials say Erdogan is also calling on NATO leaders to recognize Türkiye’s contribution as the alliance’s second-largest military and to support unrestricted defense-industrial cooperation.
Separately, Erdogan is expected to meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to gain backing for Türkiye’s bid to purchase Eurofighter Typhoons, according to Turkish sources familiar with the matter speaking to Bloomberg.
Talks had long stalled due to Berlin’s past objections, mainly over tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean. But Turkish officials say progress has been made after Ankara received a pricing proposal from the U.K. in March, with Germany’s approval now seen as pivotal.
Türkiye is seeking to acquire more than 20 Eurofighters, including newer Tranche 4 models and older units, to quickly reinforce its air force.
The proposed package—reportedly worth €10 billion ($11.5 billion)—includes Meteor air-to-air missiles developed by MBDA, a joint venture of BAE Systems, Airbus, and Leonardo.
President Erdogan has criticized obstacles to defense trade among allies, stating in Ankara before departing for the summit: "We do not find it right to impose barriers to defense trade among allies."
Ankara is also pushing the U.S. for approval to purchase new F-16s and rejoin the F-35 program, which Türkiye was removed from in 2019 following its purchase of the Russian S-400 air defense system.
President Erdogan is expected to offer assurances about the restricted use of the S-400 to convince U.S. President Donald Trump to lift sanctions and reintegrate Türkiye into the F-35 project.
The talks come amid heightened urgency for Türkiye to modernize its air force amid evolving threats from regional conflicts and Russia’s war with Ukraine.
1 min read
1 min read
