Türkiye and the United Kingdom are continuing work on the procurement of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, the National Defense Ministry said Monday.
The statement came after a team of experts from the ministry inspected aircraft maintenance facilities at the Royal Air Force's Coningsby Air Base in the U.K. from Sept. 15-17.
Türkiye earlier this month said its pilots had begun flight training in August as part of the Eurofighter agreement signed with the United Kingdom.
"The work on the Eurofighter Typhoon procurement project being carried out with the United Kingdom continues as part of the modernization efforts of our Air Force," the ministry said.
It described the visit as a "strategic" step toward planning maintenance and sustainment processes, ensuring compatibility of technical infrastructure and strengthening bilateral cooperation.
The inspection was conducted as Ankara and London continue their work on the Eurofighter Typhoon procurement project, according to the ministry.
The agreement signed in late October last year covers 20 Eurofighter jets that Türkiye will buy from the U.K. The deal is worth about 8 billion pounds ($10.8 billion).
This March, the countries signed a technical and logistical agreement for the maintenance and operation of the warplanes.
Britain, a leading partner in the Eurofighter program, had been Türkiye's most vocal supporter, and the agreement followed long negotiations to overcome a German objection to the sale.
Türkiye's interest in the Typhoon was first reported in 2022, as Ankara grew frustrated with prolonged negotiations over the acquisition of F-16 fighter jets from the U.S.
Türkiye is scheduled to receive the first of the batch of Typhoons in 2030. The deal provides the option for the sale of more jets in the future.
In addition, Türkiye also plans to purchase 12 secondhand jets from Qatar and 12 others from Oman.
Meanwhile, Türkiye is developing its own fifth-generation fighter jet. Named Kaan, the stealth fighter is sought to replace the Air Force Command's aging F-16 fleet, which is planned to be phased out starting in the 2030s.