ANKARA: A Turkish Defense Ministry source has said that Turkiye has started discussion to purchase 40 Eurofighter Typhoon jets with European nations following it saw that its demand for F-16 jet from Washington may not work out.
Defense Minister Yasar Guler had said earlier that Ankara was in talks with Spain and Britain to purchase Eurofighter Typhoon jets, however Germany objected.
Reuters cited a source as saying that Guler was holding discussions on the matter with his British Defense Minister Grant Shapps in Ankara on Thursday. The source maintained that Ankara wants to purchase the most advanced, newly constructed version of the Eurofighter.
Ankara Sought Eurofighters After Ambiguity Over US F-16 Proposal
Turkiye had requested in October 2021 to purchase 40 F-16 fighters and 79 modernization kits for its current warplanes. Biden’s administration backs the $20-billion sale, but there have been oppositions in the US Congress over Ankara’s delaying of NATO expansion and its human rights record. Similarly, Turkiye has told NATO that the ratification of Sweden’s membership bid will not be accomplished by the alliance’s foreign ministers meeting in upcoming week, further complicating the scenario.
According to Reuters, several officials from the United Kingdom say they could help convince Germany to withdraw their objections. The Eurofighter Typhoon planes are built by a group of Germany, Italy, Spain, and, Britain.
