Turkey to receive Eurofighter jets after Germany, UK agreements
Berlin/Istanbul
The German government has cleared the way for the export of Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Turkey, removing a key obstacle to a major arms deal involving the United Kingdom.
German government spokesman Stefan Kornelius confirmed in Berlin on Wednesday that the Defence Ministry has sent written authorization to Ankara. The Turkish government must now decide whether to proceed with the order, he said.
The move follows an earlier announcement on Wednesday by the UK and Turkey, which signed a letter of intent to advance a potential deal for the sale of 40 Eurofighters.
The jets are assembled in Britain as part of a multinational consortium involving Germany, Italy and Spain, meaning all four countries must approve any export deal.
The British Defence Ministry called the agreement a 'significant step forward,' saying it would bolster NATO's deterrence capabilities and support thousands of defence jobs.
British Defence Secretary John Healey described the potentially multibillion-pound deal as a 'major milestone.' Turkey seeks to modernize air defence Turkey, which was ejected from the US-led F-35 fighter jet programme in 2019 after acquiring Russia's S-400 missile defence system, is seeking to diversify its defence procurement.
US officials argued at the time that the S-400 could compromise sensitive F-35 stealth data and pose a security risk.
The Turkish Defence Ministry told dpa on Wednesday that the planned Eurofighter purchase is not linked to the F-35 dispute, but is part of a broader strategy to modernize its air force.
Analysts have noted that Ankara will need to invest in new infrastructure and training before the jets can be delivered and become operational.
Export policy shift in Berlin Germany's involvement in the Eurofighter consortium had previously stalled the deal, as Berlin had not signed off on the necessary export licences.
Arms deliveries to NATO partner Turkey have long been politically sensitive in Germany, due to concerns over Ankara's human rights record and foreign interventions. After Turkey's 2016 military operation in Syria, Berlin significantly scaled back arms exports.
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