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Keir Starmer has signed a major £8billion deal with Turkey for UK Typhoon fighter jets.
It came as the Prime Minister travelled to Ankara on Monday for talks with the Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Downing Street said the multibillion pound deal for 20 UK Typhoon jets was the first new order of the aircraft since 2017.
No10 said the deal, which will see the first deliveries take place in 2030, will also support 20,000 jobs in Britain and bolster NATO security.
Mr Starmer said: “This landmark agreement with Türkiye is a win for British workers, a win for our defence industry, and a win for NATO security.
“At either ends of Europe, the UK and Türkiye are vital to tackling the challenges of our time and this will allow our Armed Forces to work even closer together as we deter threats and protect our national interests.
Monday’s deal represents the conclusion of long-running discussions, with Ankara reported to have been seeking to buy Typhoons since 2023.
In July, Defence Secretary John Healey signed a memorandum of understanding with his Turkish counterpart paving the way for the export deal after Germany reportedly signed up to the agreement.
The jets, also known as Eurofighters, are produced in a partnership between the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy.
Mr Healey, who travelled with the PM, added: “This is another major export deal for the UK and is the biggest jet exports deal in a generation.
“It will pump billions of pounds into our economy and keep British Typhoon production lines turning long into the future. This deal goes far beyond the procurement of aircraft. It is the leading edge of the growing defence and industrial partnership between our two nations.
“Türkiye is an important NATO ally and the gatekeeper to the Black Sea. By equipping them with top-of-the-range Typhoon fighter jets, this deal will strengthen NATO deterrence and help make us all safer. I’m determined this government will make defence an engine for growth across the UK.”