First Turkish Pilots Begin Eurofighter Typhoon Training in the UK

The first two Turkish Air Force pilots have begun training in the UK to fly Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) reported this on September 27.

The training is taking place at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire with 29 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, the unit responsible for operational conversion training for Typhoon pilots.

At the first stage, the Turkish pilots will study the fighter’s systems and procedures used in British military airspace. They will then move on to flying Eurofighter aircraft.

The conversion course will last up to nine months. After completing it, the pilots will undergo an additional three months of training to become instructors.

After completing their training, the Turkish pilots will remain with 29 Squadron as instructors.

They will remain there until Turkey receives its first new Eurofighter jets produced by BAE Systems. Ankara expects the first delivery in 2030.

The training is part of a deal worth more than £8 billion between the UK and Turkey.

The main agreement covers the delivery of 20 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets to Turkey, along with the necessary weapons, technical support, and personnel training.

On March 25, 2026, the UK and Turkey signed a separate multibillion agreement covering training and long-term support for Turkish Typhoons.

The agreement provides for the training of 10 Turkish pilots and nearly 100 ground handling personnel in the UK, specializing in mechanical systems, avionics, weapons, and task execution systems.

The contract also covers the supply of spare parts and maintenance equipment, simulators, and other support means.

The British defense industry will be involved in producing the Turkish aircraft. Around 37% of each aircraft will be manufactured in the UK, including at facilities operated by BAE Systems, Leonardo, and Rolls-Royce.

Overall, the deal is expected to support around 20,000 jobs in British industry and supply chains.

Militarnyi previously reported that as of August 2026, production of Typhoon fighter jets for the Turkish Air Force had already begun in the UK and Eurofighter consortium partner countries.

Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a Gen 4+ multirole supersonic fighter developed jointly by the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

The aircraft is designed for air combat, interception of aerial targets, and strikes against ground targets. The fighters are produced by the Eurofighter GmbH consortium, which includes BAE Systems, Airbus, and Leonardo.

The air forces of the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar operate Typhoon aircraft. In service with the Royal Air Force, the aircraft performs airspace patrol, interception, and ground-attack missions.

The Eurofighter can employ a wide range of air-launched weapons. For engaging aerial targets, the aircraft uses the long-range Meteor, medium-range AIM-120 AMRAAM, and short-range ASRAAM missiles. The fighter is also equipped with a 27 mm Mauser automatic cannon.

For strikes against ground targets, the aircraft can carry Storm Shadow cruise missiles, Brimstone 2 guided missiles, and Paveway IV guided bombs.

New weapons are also being considered for and integrated with British Typhoons, including SPEAR 3 missiles.

Turkey also plans to integrate its domestically developed air-launched weapons on the Eurofighter. These include the Gökdoğan and Bozdoğan air-to-air missiles and the SOM cruise missile.

According to BAE Systems, the UK is open to integrating Turkish systems on the fighter jets, but it has not yet announced which weapons will be integrated or the timeline for integration.