Erdogan heads to Doha eying Qatari Eurofighter jets

W460

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was due in Doha late Tuesday as Ankara seeks to acquire some of Qatar's used Eurofighter Typhoon jets, a Turkish security source told AFP.

The Turkish leader, who is flying in from Kuwait, is expected to meet Qatar's emir on Wednesday.

"Turkey has been trying to negotiate to acquire some of Qatar's used Eurofighters," the source told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to speak to journalists.

"In exchange, Turkey has offered access to its new-generation fighter jet, the Kaan, as part of a potential technology transfer arrangement."

So far "no concrete progress" had been made with the negotiations still ongoing, the source said.

Turkey wants to modernize its air force and has in recent years sought to buy 40 new Eurofighter Typhoons built by a four-nation consortium of Germany, Britain, Spain and Italy.

The move came after Washington booted Ankara out of its F-35 fighter program in 2019 over Turkey's purchase of an S-400 Russian surface-to-air missile defense system.

The purchase had raised fears it would give NATO's main adversary a window into Western jet operations.

Some defense observers see Turkey's push to acquire the Eurofighters as a strategic bluff aimed at putting pressure on Washington to readmit Ankara to its fighter jet program -- its principle concern.

"For Turkey, the main priority remains the F-16 and F-35 programs," the Turkish source said.

In May, Erdogan expressed confidence that the sanctions would quickly be ended, and his meeting last month with President Donald Trump further cemented those hopes.

In June, Washington's Turkey Ambassador Tom Barrack in June said U.S. sanctions were likely to be over by the year's end.

But the Turkish source said it was likely to take a bit longer.

"Due to the current political gridlock in the U.S. Congress, progress on these deals is unlikely before the new year."

In 2017, Qatar placed an order for 24 Eurofighter jets, and in December, Doha reportedly said it was looking to acquire another 12 more, according to several defense news outlets.

Comments 1
Missing upwith 21 October 2025, 19:47

Tête de Turc