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European country offers Türkiye Eurofighter jets from production line: Report

A team of experts from the Turkish National Defense Ministry inspects Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets' maintenance facilities at Royal Air Force's Coningsby Air Base in UK, Sept. 15-17, 2026. (Photo via X/@tcsavunma)
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A team of experts from the Turkish National Defense Ministry inspects Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets' maintenance facilities at Royal Air Force's Coningsby Air Base in UK, Sept. 15-17, 2026. (Photo via X/@tcsavunma)
October 17, 2026 09:24 PM GMT+03:00

A European country has offered to hand Türkiye Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets that are currently on the production line, which could let Ankara receive brand-new aircraft before 2030, the Turkish defense outlet SavunmaSanayIST reported Saturday.

The outlet, citing information it said it obtained exclusively, did not name the country.

The report also did not cite any official confirmation of the offer from Turkish or European authorities.

Delivery gap behind the offer

Türkiye and Britain signed a contract in October 2025 for 20 new Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 4 aircraft.

The deal, signed on Oct. 27 and worth about 5.4 billion pounds, also covers mission equipment and various munitions.

Because the production line is already full, deliveries are not due to begin until 2030, with six aircraft planned that year, eight in 2031 and six in 2032.

Final assembly will take place at BAE Systems’ Warton facility in Britain.

According to the report, Türkiye needs the aircraft sooner because of the intensity of its operational requirements.

It has been holding talks with Oman and Qatar on acquiring used Typhoons in the meantime. The new offer, if it materializes, would allow delivery of factory-fresh jets ahead of the 2030 start date.

Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoons from XI(F) Squadron, RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, over the North Sea on 15th June 2020. (Photo via Crown Copyright)
Royal Air Force (RAF) Typhoons from XI(F) Squadron, RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, over the North Sea on 15th June 2020. (Photo via Crown Copyright)

Who is on the production line

The Typhoon is built by a consortium of Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain.

The report said 770 aircraft have been ordered under the program and 623 delivered to Germany, Britain, Italy, Spain, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Austria.

The aircraft now in production are for Germany, Spain, Italy and Türkiye. According to the outlet’s schedule:

  • Germany is due to receive 38 Tranche 4 aircraft between 2026 and 2030. The first of them made its maiden flight on July 14, 2026.
  • Spain is due to receive 20 Tranche 4 aircraft between 2026 and 2030, the first of which rolled out of its hangar in June 2026. A second Spanish order of 25 aircraft, signed on Dec. 20, 2024, is scheduled for 2030 to 2035.
  • Italy is due to receive 24 Tranche 4 aircraft between 2027 and 2034.
  • Germany also has 20 Tranche 5 aircraft scheduled for 2031 to 2034, with assembly in Manching.

The outlet said Spain’s current order volume and delivery schedule were particularly notable, though it did not say Spain was the country that made the offer.

Training and support under way

BAE Systems confirmed in its first-half 2026 results, published in July, that production of the Turkish aircraft has begun.

On March 25, 2026, Defense Minister Yasar Guler and his British counterpart, John Healey, signed a technical and logistical support agreement in London covering the maintenance and operation of the jets.

BAE Systems will provide spare parts and support equipment, engineer and pilot training, high-fidelity training simulators and electronic warfare capabilities, and will give technical support for the first three years after the aircraft enter service.

The company put the value of the training and support contract at about 2.5 billion pounds. Britain’s Royal Air Force will train 10 Turkish instructor pilots and about 100 maintenance instructors.

The Turkish Defense Ministry said in September that an aircraft maintenance working group had inspected maintenance facilities at RAF Coningsby. Pilot flight training has also begun.

October 17, 2026 09:25 PM GMT+03:00
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