26 September 2022

Turkey touts Eurofighter plan, should F-16 talks stall

by Lale Sariibrahimoglu

Seen in Luftwaffe service, the Eurofighter could be an option for Turkey should continuing discussions with the United States over the F-16 fail to yield results. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

Turkey has, for the first time, officially pronounced a possible purchase of Eurofighter Typhoons in case if the United States fails to sell Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons.

İbrahim Kalın, Turkey's presidential spokesperson, confirmed the previously reported plan, telling local NTV news channel on 23 September, “We have negotiations with Europe regarding […] Eurofighter […] Turkey will never be without alternatives.”

Turkey made a request to the United States for 40 F-16 fighters and nearly 80 modernisation kits for its existing warplanes in October 2021.

The US administration warmed to the sale of the fighters to Turkey, Kalın said, as the Joe Biden administration in June threw its support behind the potential sale after Ankara lifted a veto of NATO membership for Finland and Sweden.

However, a condition set out by the US House of Representatives in July 2022 to ensure that F-16 jets sold to Ankara are not used to violate Greek airspace has been rejected by Turkey.

Before Kalın's comment on the Eurofighter, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that if the United States did not sell F-16 fighter jets to Turkey, Ankara would be able to procure warplanes from other countries.

“Britain sells, France sells them, Russia sells them. It is possible to obtain them from everywhere,” he said in early September 2022.

Turkey has, for the first time, officially pronounced a possible purchase of Eurofighter Typhoons in...

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