Germany to buy 20 additional Eurofighter jets amid defense expansion

Germany will buy 20 additional Eurofighter jets from Airbus, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday, as the NATO member spends more on defense in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Scholz, speaking at the opening of the ILA Berlin Air Show, said he was strongly committed to maintaining and expanding arms production capacity.

“That is why we will order 20 more Eurofighters before the end of this legislative session – in addition to the 38 aircraft currently in the pipeline,” he said, adding that the order would give certainty to Airbus and its suppliers.

Germany’s air force wants to replace its aging Tornado jets with the Eurofighter, known as Typhoon in Britain. It currently operates 138 Eurofighters, according to its website.

Türkiye is continuing its efforts to acquire Eurofighter Typhoon jets, produced through a consortium involving the U.K., Germany, Spain and Italy. A Turkish defense ministry official confirmed Türkiye’s sustained interest in these jets during a conversation with Reuters.

In previous attempts to procure 40 Eurofighters for $23 billion, Türkiye faced opposition from Germany. Last November, Türkiye announced negotiations with the U.K. and Spain for the purchase, but Germany objected. A Turkish defense ministry source indicated that discussions with Eurofighter began after potential delays in the U.S. F-16 request, which was initially made in October 2021. On Thursday, the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Jeff Flake confirmed the approval for the F-16 deal, signaling that the U.S. would allow the sale.

While the Biden administration approves the F-16 sale to Türkiye, it is simultaneously selling F-35 fighter jets to Greece. Eurofighter Typhoon jets are produced by a consortium comprising Germany, the U.K., Italy and Spain.

Given that the Turkish Air Force Command’s existing F-16s have reached a certain age and considering the importance of maintaining the air force’s capabilities amid geopolitical challenges, Türkiye’s Defense Minister Yasar Guler frequently expressed the desire to acquire Eurofighter jets.

As Türkiye, we have consistently expressed our interest in acquiring this aircraft. Eurofighter is not solely a system of our German friends but a consortium that includes the UK and Spain. There have been points of contention with our German friends from the beginning. As members of an organization like NATO, it is unacceptable for two countries to be at odds. We have often shared this with our allies. I personally believe that this issue will be resolved soon. The provision of Eurofighters to Saudi Arabia could be a starting point.

Türkiye’s Defense Minister Yasar Guler, May 2, 2024

Following the U.S. embargo on Türkiye due to the S-400 purchase and Türkiye’s subsequent removal from the F-35 program, various options were considered to maintain the Turkish air force’s capabilities, with Eurofighter being one of them.

Minister Guler further stated: “We have indicated our desire to initially acquire 20, followed by an additional 20 of the latest version of Eurofighters. As we have previously mentioned, the UK and Spain have responded positively to this request. One country opposes this in a manner contrary to alliance principles. We find it against the spirit of alliance for allies to impose sanctions on each other.”