LONDON

Türkiye signed an £8 billion ($10.7 billion) deal this week with the UK to buy 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets – a move Britain’s defense readiness and industry minister says should serve as “a good model for all NATO allies to follow.”

In an interview with Anadolu, Luke 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. However, the deal has long been stalled by German objections.

Britain, a leading partner in the Eurofighter program, has been Türkiye’s most vocal supporter, and the agreement follows months of negotiations between Ankara and London, with Türkiye having overcome a German veto on the sale in 2024.

'Not just about buying bits of metal'

Pollard said the cooperation between the two air forces would improve deterrence and interoperability within NATO.

“In these uncertain times, the way we keep our people safe is by everyone stepping up,” he said.

He urged other alliance members to boost defense spending, citing Russia’s war on Ukraine as a warning.

“If every NATO ally spends more on defense, not only will we have stronger armed forces, but we will be able to deter aggression,” he said.

Pollard added that joint projects such as the Typhoon deal made defense investment more effective.

“By sharing platforms and fighter jets, we can be stronger and create the foundation for deeper relations,” he said.

He also emphasized the wider economic and strategic benefits of the deal, calling it “not just about buying bits of metal,” adding that it would open opportunities for businesses in both countries and “forge a friendship” between the two nations.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the agreement as a "new sign of Türkiye-UK strategic relations," asserting that it will pave the way for joint defense projects.

The British government highlighted the agreement as “the biggest fighter jet exports deal in a generation.”

President Erdogan said: “We are committed to increasing our trade volume with the United Kingdom, initially to $30 billion and eventually to $40 billion. We are determined to strengthen our economic ties.”

He and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also announced the launch of the first-ever UK-Türkiye bilateral cooperation framework.