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President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Doha, Qatar's capital, on late Tuesday seeking to acquire 24 used Eurofighter Typhoon jets as Türkiye accelerates efforts to modernize its aging air force amid regional security concerns, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke to Bloomberg.
The U.K. has facilitated talks for transferring Qatar's Tranche 3A jets to Türkiye, alongside Ankara's request for 16 new Tranche Four jets in a deal worth several billion dollars.
Türkiye hopes to receive initial Eurofighter deliveries as early as next year, with new F-16s potentially not arriving before 2030, the sources said Tuesday on condition of anonymity.
NATO member Türkiye, the world's second-largest operator of U.S. F-16s, has never operated other foreign models but is now deepening defense ties with Europe while pursuing multiple fighter jet acquisitions simultaneously, including Eurofighters, F-16s, and potentially F-35s.
Israeli strikes on Türkiye's neighbors, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Qatar, over the past year have exposed key vulnerabilities in Türkiye's air defenses, prompting Ankara's push for rapid air power reinforcement, officials told Reuters Wednesday.
Israel operates the Middle East's most advanced air force with hundreds of U.S.-supplied F-15, F-16, and F-35 fighters.
Greece, which has engaged in scattered dogfights with Turkish jets over the Aegean in past years, expects to receive advanced F-35s within three years, adding pressure on Ankara to modernize its fleet.
"At present, our air-defense system is not at the desired level," Yanki Bagcioglu, a main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) lawmaker and former Turkish Air Force brigadier general, told Reuters, citing "project-management failures."
Germany, which initially blocked Eurofighter sales to Türkiye for more than two years amid tensions with EU member Greece over eastern Mediterranean energy exploration, has now approved the deal following a change in government.
Wadephul told the broadcaster, Turkish media outlet NTV, recently that a deal could be finalized within the year. Türkiye signed a preliminary agreement in July with the U.K. for up to 40 Eurofighter jets worth approximately €10 billion ($11.6 billion), Bloomberg previously reported.
According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Türkiye's acquisition plan involves
Despite Erdogan's failure to make headway on F-35s during a White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in S, Türkiye aims to leverage its good personal ties and Erdogan's help in securing Hamas' agreement to Trump's Gaza ceasefire deal.
"Both sides know that resolving CAATSA needs to be done. Whether it is a presidential waiver or a congressional decision, that is up to the United States," Harun Armagan, vice chair of foreign affairs for Türkiye's ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party), told Reuters.
"It looks awkward with all of the other diplomacy and cooperation happening at the same time," Armagan added.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Trump recognizes Türkiye's strategic importance and "his administration is seeking creative solutions to all of these pending issues," but did not elaborate.
Erdogan's regional tour this week includes Kuwait and Oman, where jet numbers, pricing, and timelines will be discussed.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are expected to visit Türkiye later this month, when agreements could be sealed, sources speaking to Reuters said.
"We look forward to agreeing on the final contracting details soon," a U.K. government spokesperson told Reuters, referencing the July memorandum paving the way for "a multibillion-pound order of up to 40 aircraft."
Türkiye has also developed its own KAAN, a fifth-generation stealth fighter, but officials acknowledge it will take years before it replaces the F-16s forming the backbone of its air force.
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