A first batch of Turkish pilots and technical staff will be deployed to the United Kingdom for the training of Eurofighter jets in line with a recent agreement between Ankara and London, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced on July 23.
“As part of the Eurofighter Typhoon procurement process, it is planned that flight personnel will be sent to the United Kingdom in August 2026 to begin their flight training as soon as possible,” ministry sources said at a weekly briefing in Ankara.
The two countries signed an agreement for the logistical and technical aspects of the Eurofighter transactions. The sources informed that more pilots and maintenance personnel will be sent to the U.K. in the next periods.
In 2025, Türkiye inked an 8 billion pound ($10.7 billion) deal with the U.K. to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoons. Additional plans include acquiring 12 aircraft from the Royal Air Force of Oman and 12 jets currently serving with the Qatari Air Force.
The Eurofighter is produced by a European consortium including the U.K.-based BAE Systems, Airbus and Italy’s Leonardo. Britain, a leading partner in the program, has been Türkiye’s most vocal supporter as Ankara overcame a German veto on the sale in 2024.
The two countries have recently signed a broad framework deal on strategic and security issues that include cooperation in the field of defense industries.
HH Fight against terror continues
In the meantime, the sources also stressed that the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) is continuing its fight against terrorism.
Six PKK members surrendered in the past week, sources stressed, also informing that the “TSK’s operations to destroy the terrorists’ hide-outs endure with determination.”
The sources also provided information about the death of a military student at the Air Force Academy in the northwestern province of Yalova.
“Administrative and judicial investigation over the death of Veli Bilgin, a student at the Air Force Academy, which was launched immediately, is being run in a sensitive way,” they said, informing that final forensic medical report is awaited.
