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 services.
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 Hurricane manufacturing line at BAE Techniques’ Warton airfield, together with different UK websites that contribute to the plane’s manufacture.
Starmer mentioned “This landmark settlement with Türkiye is a win for British staff, a win for our defence trade, 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 largest jet exports deal in a era. It’s going to pump billions of kilos into our economic system and maintain British Hurricane manufacturing traces 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 Hurricane 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 turn into the Hurricane’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 could come later, by way of second-hand purchases from current operators. Because it stands, 20 plane would solely nearly permit for one squadron to be made operational.
Alongside the Hurricane plane, the Turkish Air Drive will purchase a few of the sort’s signature weapons, together with the MBDA Meteor lengthy vary air to air missile.
Initially planning to recapitalise its air drive with the F-35 Lightning II, Turkey was pressured to revisit its plans after being faraway from the F-35 program in 2019 over its resolution to press forward with the procurement of Russian S-400 floor to air missile methods. There have been important fears that information collected by the S-400s relating to the F-35’s radar signature may 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 principle focus of any new airframes shall be changing Turkey’s historical 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 Hurricane, and doubtlessly the F-35, Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has been growing the purportedly fifth era Kaan fighter.
UK’s Starmer visits TAI the place Turkish fifth era 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 is able to nearly definitely have included talks about this Hurricane 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 exchange 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 had been dispatched to Ankara alongside Starmer’s go to, additional including to the media expectation {that a} deal could be introduced at this time.
The timeframe for supply is unclear, though BAE Techniques says the deal will maintain its manufacturing line into the 2030s.
