By Wang Bing
The UK and Turkey on October 27 officially signed a defense deal worth £8 billion (approximately USD 10.5 billion), under which Turkey will acquire 20 UK Typhoon fighter jets. This marks the largest British fighter export deal in nearly two decades. So why is Turkey spending heavily on British fighter jets?
The Typhoon fighter jet is produced by the Eurofighter consortium, which includes the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain. Turkey regards this procurement agreement as a new milestone in the development of its strategic ties with the UK. According to military observer Wang Ya'nan, the deal not only meets Turkey's need to modernize its air fleet but also injects new momentum into the European Typhoon program.
Military Observer Wang Ya'nan pointed out that Turkey currently has an urgent demand for advanced fighter jets. At present, more than 200 aging aircraft of Turkey need replacement. Although the Typhoon is not the absolute top-tier fighter globally, it is a reliable 4.5-generation aircraft. Therefore, Turkey's choice to procure the British Typhoon is expected to enhance the combat capability of its air force's main equipment. For the UK, this is also a highly profitable deal. Not only is the sale price of the fighters substantial, but the deal is also expected to create tens of thousands of jobs, continuously stimulate fighter production capacity, and lay an important foundation for future deep cooperation within the Eurofighter consortium.
It is reported that the first batch of Typhoon fighter jets purchased by Turkey from the UK is expected to be delivered by 2030. It is worth noting that Turkey had previously revealed that its indigenously developed fifth-generation fighter, the Kaan, could be delivered by 2028 if development proceeds smoothly. Against the backdrop of accelerating the development of its domestic fifth-generation fighter, Turkey's decision to still procure a large number of 4.5-generation Typhoon fighters inevitably raises questions.
Military Observer Wang Ya'nan believes that the Kaan fighter's core technologies are externally dependent. Its F110 engine comes from the US, and its avionics systems may also originate from the US or other major European aerospace powers. Such dependence on external sources for key systems makes the overall project schedule vulnerable to supply chain constraints. Although the Kaan fighter is nominally scheduled for delivery in 2028, even under optimistic assumptions, if development is completed by that year, actual delivery could take an additional two to three years. This means that the fighter would not begin to be delivered until at least after 2030, which cannot meet Turkey's urgent need to replace its aging aircraft fleet.
In addition, Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler revealed that, beyond the 20 Typhoon fighter jets purchased from the UK, Turkey will also procure 12 Typhoon fighter jets each from Qatar and Oman. So, what impact will the large-scale deployment of Typhoons have on Turkey's air force in the region?
Wang Ya'nan stated that equipping the air force with such a substantial fleet of Typhoon fighter jets will significantly enhance Turkey's military capabilities in the region. In the future, as Turkey's indigenously developed fifth-generation fighters enter service, the country's overall military capability is expected to undergo a rapid leap forward. With Turkey's military strength increasing, Greece may find its current equipment insufficient to maintain parity with Turkey, prompting considerations for upgrades and replacements, which could trigger a new round of an arms race.
Moreover, Turkey and Israel have significant differences on multiple international issues. As Turkey's military capabilities strengthen, Israel may seek to exert pressure on Turkey through the US or other NATO countries, attempting to curb Turkey's pace of military upgrading. Therefore, alongside Turkey's ongoing equipment modernization, the tensions between Turkey and Israel may become more pronounced or intensified, and their disagreements on numerous international issues are likely to deepen further.
Editor's note: Originally published on military.cnr.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.