Turkish pilots begin Eurofighter Typhoon flight training as Ankara moves toward purchase
Turkish air force pilots have started flight training on the Eurofighter Typhoon, bringing Turkey closer to formally acquiring the aircraft.
Turkey is accelerating its adoption of the Eurofighter Typhoon to address a perceived air-power shortfall relative to Greece. Pilots who started terminology lessons in August have now moved on to actual flight training, with the Royal Air Force delivering instruction to the initial trio of ten slated flight instructors. In the coming weeks, roughly one hundred maintenance instructors will also begin their courses.
The procurement follows Turkey's 2019 expulsion from the F-35 program after acquiring the Russian S-400 system and stalled upgrades for its F-16 fleet. Ankara signed a deal with the United Kingdom for 20 Tranche 4 Typhoons, with deliveries scheduled between 2030 and 2032, after Germany lifted its veto in July 2025. Earlier attempts to buy used Typhoons from Qatar and Oman have stalled, leaving the new-build aircraft as the primary path forward.
