Germany Greenlights Eurofighter Typhoon Sale to Turkey

Germany has agreed to initiate talks with Turkey regarding the potential sale of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, signaling a shift in Berlin’s stance on Ankara’s air combat programs.

A German Foreign Ministry official was quoted by SavunmaSanayiST.com as saying, “The German government responded positively to Airbus’s preliminary request to conduct negotiations regarding the delivery of Eurofighter Typhoons to Türkiye. These aircraft are used for collective defense purposes within the framework of NATO.”

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is reportedly set to meet Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan in Ankara on Friday to discuss the matter.

Turkey made its first formal move to join the Eurofighter Typhoon program in July, when National Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and the U.K. Defense Secretary signed a Memorandum of Understanding. A statement at the time said that welcoming Turkey as a Typhoon user would further strengthen long-standing ties between NATO allies and mark an important step toward enhancing Turkey’s combat air capabilities.

Turkey began exploring alternatives after being kicked out from the U.S. F-35 fighter jet program in 2019 following its purchase of Russia’s S-400 air defense system. Negotiations on the Eurofighter had stalled due to Germany’s reluctance to approve an export license. The recent approval by the government led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz now clears the way for talks to proceed.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is jointly produced by BAE Systems (U.K.), Airbus (Germany and Spain), and Leonardo (Italy), and is currently operated by the air forces of the U.K., Germany, Italy, and Spain.