Defense Minister Yaşar Güler was in London on Tuesday as the official guest of Secretary of State for Defense John Healey.
The ministry’s sources said the visit would focus on cooperation in bilateral matters, particularly regional defense and security, and the defense industry.
Güler, who will also visit the manufacturing facilities of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, will discuss the acquisition of jets with Healey as well.
Türkiye last October signed an agreement worth around 8 billion pounds ($10.7 billion) covering the purchase of 20 Eurofighter Typhoons from the United Kingdom. Ankara also plans to acquire 12 secondhand Typhoons from Qatar and 12 from Oman.
The first aircraft from the U.K. batch is expected to be delivered in 2030, while the agreement includes an option for Türkiye to purchase additional jets.
The Eurofighter Typhoon is produced by a four-nation consortium involving the U.K., Germany, Italy and Spain, represented by defense firms BAE Systems, Airbus and Leonardo.
"Developments both in Europe and the Middle East have once again demonstrated how important solidarity among allies is. We are also pleased with Germany's positive stance regarding the procurement of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets. We sincerely hope this policy will continue in other areas of cooperation in the defense industry as well," Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said in a joint press conference with his German counterpart earlier this month.
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 United States.
In late 2024, Türkiye finalized a $7 billion deal with Washington for 40 F-16s. But talks have reportedly been dogged by Turkish concerns over pricing and its renewed interest in returning to the F-35 program.
Türkiye was excluded from the U.S.-led F-35 program in 2019 following its purchase of Russia's S-400 air defense system. Since then, Ankara has repeatedly described the decision as unfair and has expressed hope that the issue could be resolved during U.S. President Donald Trump's second term.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan raised the issue during the September meeting with Trump at the White House. Last month, Trump said the U.S. was "very seriously" considering the sale of F-35s to Türkiye.
Despite fielding NATO's second-largest military, Türkiye has faced repeated arms embargoes by its allies in past decades, prompting it to accelerate efforts to reduce foreign dependence and expand domestic defense production.
Today, the country manufactures a wide range of military platforms, including drones, missiles and naval vessels, and is developing its own fifth-generation fighter jet.
The indigenous stealth aircraft, known as Kaan, is intended to eventually replace the air force's aging F-16 fleet, which is expected to begin phasing out in the 2030s.
Türkiye has been vigilant in boosting its defenses as multiple threats have emerged to its security in the region. The ongoing war targeting its neighbor Iran, occasional hostile rhetoric from Greece, which disputes Türkiye’s maritime rights, the threat of terrorism, and veiled threats by Israel pushed Türkiye to strengthen its defense systems.
Turkish defense companies have signed $6.5 billion (TL 288.24 billion) worth of contracts to reinforce and develop Türkiye's integrated, multilayered "Steel Dome" air defense system, the Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) announced last November. Announced in August 2024, the Steel Dome aims to provide integrated protection against low, medium and high-altitude threats through land-based and sea-based air defense platforms and sensors developed at home.
The architecture crowns years of investments that have helped Türkiye transform from a nation heavily reliant on equipment from abroad to one where homegrown systems meet almost all of its defense industry needs. It foresees integration of locally developed missile batteries, radars, electro-optical sensors, communications modules, and command-and-control centers.
