Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday hailed a landmark agreement with London to buy 20 Eurofighter jets, describing the $11-billion deal as a new symbol of defense cooperation with Britain.
"We regard this step as a new symbol of the strategic relations between our two close allies," he said after signing the agreement with visiting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the presidential palace in Ankara.
Turkey has been looking to modernize its air force and has been pushing to acquire 40 European-made fighter aircraft, which are jointly produced by Britain, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Erdogan thanked the leaders of the other members of the consortium for their "constructive approach".
Negotiations with London gained pace after Germany in July lifted its veto on the sale over Ankara's hardline stance on the Gaza war.
Starmer said after the signing ceremony: "At the heart of this is our agreement today that the UK will provide Turkey with 20 new Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft, with the option to provide more in the future."
He said the acquisition would "bolster security across NATO, deepen our bilateral defense cooperation, and boost economic growth here and in the United Kingdom, securing 20,000 British jobs, building these state-of-the-art fighter jets.
"That is something to celebrate. I am proud that British Typhoons will form a vital part of the Turkish air force for many years to come, as you defend NATO's south-eastern flank for the good of all."
AFP
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