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Türkiye's agreement to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets from Britain includes a comprehensive weapons package featuring MBDA Meteor air-to-air missiles and Brimstone ground-attack missiles, a person familiar with the matter speaking to Reuters said on Wednesday.
The weapons package represents a significant component of the £5.4 billion ($7.1 billion) deal signed by the NATO allies at a ceremony in Ankara on Monday, according to sources briefed on the agreement.
"The deal includes a comprehensive weapons package, including the MBDA Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, advanced short-range air-to-air missile, and Brimstone ground-attack missile," the person told Reuters.
The weapons will be primarily provided by MBDA, according to defense industry sources.
The inclusion of these advanced missile systems significantly enhances Türkiye's air combat capabilities and represents a major step in modernizing the Turkish Air Force's (TurAF) operational arsenal.
The Meteor missile is designed for beyond-visual-range engagement, giving Turkish pilots extended reach in air-to-air combat scenarios.
The Brimstone ground-attack missile provides precision strike capability against ground targets, expanding the Typhoon's operational versatility across multiple mission profiles.
Türkiye's acquisition of these advanced weapons systems comes as the nation seeks to bolster its air defenses and maintain competitive parity with regional rivals, particularly Israel, which has conducted extensive military operations across the Middle East this year.
The comprehensive weapons package underscores Türkiye's commitment to modernizing its military capabilities at a time when the nation is enjoying its warmest diplomatic ties with the West in years.
Turkish defense officials view the advanced missile systems as crucial to addressing evolving regional security challenges.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's government confirmed that Türkiye will receive the first batch of 20 Typhoons beginning in 2030.
The agreement, which emerged from talks initiated in 2023, includes an option to purchase additional aircraft.
Ankara has separately indicated interest in acquiring 24 additional lightly used Eurofighter Typhoons from Qatar and Oman to expand its fighter fleet and weapons inventory, bringing the total to 44 Eurofighter Typhoons.
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BAE Systems will manufacture major airframe components, conduct final assembly of the aircraft, and lead the weapons integration at its sites in Lancashire, according to the agreement details.
The weapons package integration represents a complex technical undertaking involving coordination between BAE Systems and MBDA.
BAE Systems anticipates recognizing approximately £4.6 billion ($6 billion) from the agreement, including through its shareholding in MBDA.
Under the contract, the integration process will sustain more than 20,000 highly skilled jobs across the UK supply chain and generate work for hundreds of companies.
With this procurement, the Turkish Air Force will become the tenth air force to operate the Eurofighter Typhoon, joining existing operators: the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
Charles Woodburn, Chief Executive of BAE Systems, said: "Türkiye's procurement of Typhoon marks the start of a new chapter in our longstanding relationship with this important NATO ally and reinforces the outstanding operational support the aircraft continues to deliver across Europe and the Middle East as a fundamental pillar of defense and security."
He added that the weapons integration and aircraft procurement demonstrate defense industry capabilities.
"Typhoon is an export success story and demonstrates how investment in defense can fuel significant economic growth and returns across the U.K. Today's announcement extends Typhoon production and preserves crucial sovereign skills that underpin the U.K.'s defense and security."
The Eurofighter Typhoon program is regarded as one of the U.K.'s most successful defense export initiatives, contributing £1.4 billion in annual exports.
The program generates £1.6 billion for the U.K. economy each year, with more than 20,000 jobs supported across the country, with the majority based in the Northwest of England.
Typhoon production in the U.K. now extends into the 2030s. From the U.K. Government's original £12 billion investment, the program has already returned more than £30 billion to the U.K. economy.
Some analysts have described the overall deal as expensive, though official detailed breakdowns have not yet been fully disclosed by either party beyond the weapons package specifications revealed to Reuters.
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