Germany, Britain stunned by Turkey’s move! Developing 5th-generation TAI KAAN fighter jet, to acquire second-hand Eurofighter Typhoon jets from….

Turkey, a close ally of Pakistan, has been striving to upgrade its air force to be more advanced, capable, and lethal. For years, Ankara sought to modernize its fleet by acquiring the F-35 Lightning II and the F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets from the United States. Unfortunately, these plans met with numerous challenges, such as political issues and logistical issues that either delayed or derailed the deals. In light of these changes, Turkey has pivoted and decided to procure used Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A jets from Qatar.

Where will Turkey source the second-hand Eurofighter Typhoon jets from?

Turkey is negotiating with Qatar to buy used Eurofighter Typhoon jets, Middle East Eye reported on October 7, citing informed sources, as reported by EurAsian Times. The publication said the deal is still in negotiation, an agreement appears to be imminent. Meanwhile, neither the Turkish nor the Qatari governments has confirmed the agreement officially.

Why did Germany and Britain oppose Turkey’s Eurofighter deal initially?

Previously, Germany had reportedly halted the sale of new Eurofighter jets to Turkey, fearing the use of the aircraft against Kurdish groups in Syria and Iraq. In October 2024, Germany lifted this policy and, along with the United Kingdom, entered into an initial agreement with Turkey.

Nonetheless, the procurement deal fell apart due to disagreements over price and delivery timeframe. Thus, Turkey instead has decided to procure secondhand Eurofighter Typhoon jets from Qatar, which Turkey believed would be a faster and easier method to modernize its air force.

What makes the Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 3A a crucial addition for Turkey?

Turkey’s potential acquisition of Eurofighter Typhoon airplanes has recently drawn speculation after Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler and Air Force Commander General Ziya Cemal Kadıoğlu traveled to Doha for discussions with government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. Throughout the visit, they reportedly negotiated for the purchase of 10–15 Tranche 3A Eurofighter jets.

This transfer will only be possible if the Eurofighter Consortium—composed of Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain—grants the transfer approval. According to the media reports, experts indicate that this approval is likely, as Turkey has stated plans to modernize these jets to the Tranche 4 standard in the future.

Turkey was removed from the U.S. F-35 program in 2019 after it purchased an S-400 missile system from Russia, but could rejoin the program in the future. The issue was recently discussed in a conversation between Doland Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. However, Turkey still refuses to transfer the S-400 systems either to any other country or to the United States.

It is important to note that in the midst of developments, Turkey is also developing its own TAI KAAN fifth-generation fighter aircraft. The fighter plane is expected to be operational in the early 2030s and have capabilities similar to the F-35.