Turkiye has reached a deal with the United Kingdom to purchase 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets for nearly $11 billion, as Ankara looks to strengthen its air defenses while developing its own fifth-generation KAAN fighter planes.

The agreement was signed on Monday in Ankara during a meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The UK’s Ministry of Defence called the deal the “biggest fighter jet deal in a generation”, while Erdogan described it as a “new symbol of strategic relations” between the two close allies.

Speaking at the signing, Starmer said the deal is also a win for NATO, highlighting the importance of enhanced air capabilities on the alliance’s southeast flank. He added that locking in this capability with the United Kingdom strengthens regional security.

The first Eurofighter Typhoons ordered under the agreement are expected to arrive in Ankara by 2030, marking a major step in Turkiye’s efforts to modernize its air force while continuing development of its domestic KAAN fighter program.