Turkish officials announced on Thursday that discussions are ongoing with Qatar and Oman regarding the acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoon fighters, following a deal signed with the U.K. on Monday to purchase 20 of the jets.
The deal between NATO allies Türkiye and the U.K. aimed at deepening their ties and bolstering Turkish air defenses. Ankara has said it was also seeking 24 more jets, albeit lightly used, from Qatar and Oman, The Caspian Post reports citing Turkish media.
The 8 billion pound ($10.7 billion) agreement on Monday was signed during the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer's visit to Ankara and was described by the British government as "the biggest fighter jet export deal in a generation."
At a briefing in Ankara on Thursday, the Defense Ministry said the value of the deal, which included the jets, equipment for the aircraft and various ammunition, was 5.4 billion pounds.
A person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Wednesday that the deal included a weapons package that includes the MBDA Meteor air-to-air missiles and Brimstone ground attack missiles.
In a statement issued on Monday, BAE Systems said the deal included an arms package of Meteor missiles and associated integration packages for Turkish weapons systems.
"Under the agreement, BAE Systems will manufacture major airframe components, conduct the final assembly of the aircraft and lead the weapons integration at its sites in Lancashire," it said, adding "the weapons package will be primarily provided by MBDA".
While the first batch of the 20 jets is expected in 2030, Ankara has also been negotiating with Gulf allies Qatar and Oman to procure more to meet its immediate needs.
"Work on the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets that will be procurement from Qatar and Oman to meet our Air Force's mission needs is continuing," the ministry also said, without elaborating.
The deal to buy 20 advanced fighter jets from the U.K. should serve as "a good model for all NATO allies to follow," Britain's Minister for Defense Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard separately told Anadolu Agency (AA).
In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Pollard said the deal would strengthen both nations' security and deepen their strategic partnership.
"I'm especially excited about having our two air forces work even closer together, because we know that in these uncertain times, the way that we keep our people safe, the way that we make sure that all NATO allies are safe," he said.
Pollard described the purchase as a sign of how allies should respond to a more dangerous world.
"We are two strong NATO allies living in an era of increasing threats," he said. "By sharing the same platforms and flying the same planes, we can train together, buy together and upgrade together for many years to come."
Ankara has long expressed an interest in acquiring up to 40 multirole fighter aircraft produced by a four-nation consortium, consisting of the U.K., Germany, Italy and Spain.
However, the deal has long been stalled by German objections. The U.K. was leading the talks.
