The settlement was signed because the UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, visited Ankara and met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan whereas touring Turkish aerospace amenities.
An official launch by the UK Authorities says the deal will assure the retention of as many as 20,000 British jobs and maintain the Storm manufacturing line at BAE Methods’ Warton airfield, together with different UK websites that contribute to the plane’s manufacture.
Starmer stated “This landmark settlement with Türkiye is a win for British employees, a win for our defence business, and a win for NATO safety,” whereas Secretary of State for Defence John Healey added “That is one other main export deal for the UK and is the most important jet exports deal in a technology. It can pump billions of kilos into our economic system and maintain British Storm manufacturing strains turning lengthy into the longer term.”
“This deal goes far past the procurement of plane. It’s the vanguard of the rising defence and industrial partnership between our two nations. Türkiye is a crucial NATO ally and the gatekeeper to the Black Sea. By equipping them with top-of-the-range Storm fighter jets, this deal will strengthen NATO deterrence and assist make us all safer.”
I’ve simply agreed a take care of Türkiye to safe 20,000 British jobs throughout the UK. pic.twitter.com/n9wCYL7rRj
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) October 27, 2025
Turkey will develop into the Storm’s tenth operator, becoming a member of the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Hypothesis forward of the official announcement referred to the procurement of round 40 Typhoons, double the introduced order which refers solely to new-build airframes. The rest might come later, by way of second-hand purchases from present operators. Because it stands, 20 plane would solely nearly enable for one squadron to be made operational.
Alongside the Storm plane, the Turkish Air Pressure will purchase among the kind’s signature weapons, together with the MBDA Meteor lengthy vary air to air missile.
Initially planning to recapitalise its air power with the F-35 Lightning II, Turkey was compelled to revisit its plans after being faraway from the F-35 program in 2019 over its determination to press forward with the procurement of Russian S-400 floor to air missile programs. There have been important fears that information collected by the S-400s concerning the F-35’s radar signature might find yourself in Russian fingers. Makes an attempt to rejoin the F-35 household have been ongoing since then, however the transfer continues to face opposition within the U.S.
The primary focus of any new airframes shall be changing Turkey’s historic F-4 Phantoms, which first entered service within the nation over 50 years in the past, in addition to some older F-16s. Together with the Storm, and doubtlessly the F-35, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has been growing the purportedly fifth technology Kaan fighter.
UK’s Starmer visits TAI the place Turkish fifth technology fighter jet Kaan is designed in Ankara.
Center East Eye was the primary publication reporting his go to to Turkey pic.twitter.com/S4H9VXe9vs
— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) October 27, 2025
Earlier this week it was confirmed following an extended interval of hearsay that Turkey would purchase twelve of the RAF’s retired C-130J Hercules plane, following refurbishment by Marshall Aerospace. Reciprocally, the TAI Hürjet has been pegged as a contender for the UK’s subsequent jet coach plane. Defence Secretary Healey has already been given a tour of the jet coach on a earlier journey to Turkey, discussions throughout which can nearly actually have included talks about this Storm purchase.
Secretary for defence Healey being proven the brand new TAI Hurjet coach jet throughout his go to in Turkey. Whereas there’s a potential want to interchange Hawk T1 within the UK, it appears a bit daring. Then again, Turkey will attempt to get one thing again in the event that they get Typhoons from Warton… pic.twitter.com/Z94ahO3IOD
— Gabriele Molinelli (@Gabriel64869839) November 15, 2024
RAF Typhoons and crew members have been dispatched to Ankara alongside Starmer’s go to, additional including to the media expectation {that a} deal could be introduced at present.
The timeframe for supply is unclear, though BAE Methods says the deal will maintain its manufacturing line into the 2030s.
