Germany has given preliminary approval for the sale of 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkey.
The decision, taken by the German Federal Security Council, represents a significant shift in Berlin’s stance on arms exports to Ankara, and follows recent comments by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan highlighting positive signals from both Germany and the United Kingdom.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, multi-role combat aircraft developed by a European consortium comprising the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain. Any export of the aircraft requires consent from all four partner nations. Germany’s latest move, while not yet publicly confirmed by officials due to the confidential nature of the Council’s proceedings, clears a key political obstacle that had delayed Ankara’s efforts to modernise its air force.
Speaking to journalists aboard a flight from northern Cyprus on 21 July, President Erdoğan stated: “The British and Germans are approaching this positively. God willing, I believe we will receive our jet planes as soon as possible.” He added that discussions with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz had been constructive. “In my meetings… I saw they also approached the issue positively and hopefully we will take this step,” Erdoğan said, as quoted in a transcript published by Turkish media.
Turkey formally submitted its request to purchase around 40 Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft earlier in 2025. The procurement would support Ankara’s goal of phasing out its ageing F-4 Phantom fleet and supplementing its F-16 inventory, particularly after its removal from the US-led F-35 programme in 2019 following the acquisition of the Russian S-400 missile defence system.
Under the previous German administration, led by Olaf Scholz, the government opposed the export of Eurofighters to Turkey on political grounds. These included concerns over Turkey’s regional military activities and broader human rights issues. That position has now changed under Chancellor Merz’s new conservative-led government, which has signalled a more pragmatic approach to foreign arms sales and defence cooperation within NATO.
Industry stakeholders in the Eurofighter consortium — including Airbus (Germany and Spain), BAE Systems (UK), and Leonardo (Italy) — have welcomed the prospect of a Turkish deal. The sale, expected to be worth several billion euros depending on configuration and support packages, would offer a boost to Europe’s defence-industrial base and underscore the strategic importance of NATO interoperability.
While Germany’s government has not issued an official statement, citing the classified nature of Security Council discussions, the approval is expected to pave the way for further technical negotiations among the consortium members. The UK has been consistently supportive of Turkish acquisition efforts, with London and Ankara already cooperating on next-generation fighter projects, including Turkey’s indigenous TF-X programme.
The proposed deal may still face domestic scrutiny in Germany, where arms exports remain a contentious topic. Human rights groups and some opposition parties have previously criticised military sales to countries involved in active regional conflicts or with contested democratic credentials. It also remains to be seen how the development will be received by Greece and Cyprus, both of which have voiced concerns in the past regarding European arms transfers to Turkey.
Nevertheless, supporters of the deal argue that closer defence ties with Turkey serve NATO’s broader strategic cohesion and help maintain Turkey’s reliance on Western suppliers. In geopolitical terms, it is seen as a means to prevent Ankara from turning further towards alternative providers such as Russia or China.
If concluded, the Eurofighter contract would represent one of Turkey’s most significant defence procurements in recent years. No delivery timeline has yet been made public, but the initial approval from Germany is a critical step in moving the proposal forward.
Further announcements are expected once the relevant licensing, contracting, and intergovernmental approvals are completed by the other consortium members.
Originally published by DefenceMatters.eu.
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