The timing of the Typhoon deal with Turkey is interesting given the geopolitical realignment happening across NATO. An £8 bilion contract splits three ways between Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo makes Turkey the tenth operator, but the real question is how this impacts F35 workshare and transatlantic defense industrial relationships. Turkey's diversified procurement strategy here seems designed to keep options opn with both European and American suppliers.
Agreed. The F-35 was Turkey's first choice, but it was excluded in 2019 after buying S-400 SAMs from Russia. They're still talking to the Americans, but to some degree the Europeans were pushing at an open door here.
Of course they're not like-for-like: the F-35 is fifth-gen and the closest US comparison to the Typhoon is probably the F-16s - which also still sells well. I wonder whether the Russian threat will cause more European air forces to pad out their numbers i.e. buying more F-16s or Typhoons rather than the more expensive (and flawed) F-35.
The timing of the Typhoon deal with Turkey is interesting given the geopolitical realignment happening across NATO. An £8 bilion contract splits three ways between Airbus, BAE Systems, and Leonardo makes Turkey the tenth operator, but the real question is how this impacts F35 workshare and transatlantic defense industrial relationships. Turkey's diversified procurement strategy here seems designed to keep options opn with both European and American suppliers.
Agreed. The F-35 was Turkey's first choice, but it was excluded in 2019 after buying S-400 SAMs from Russia. They're still talking to the Americans, but to some degree the Europeans were pushing at an open door here.
Of course they're not like-for-like: the F-35 is fifth-gen and the closest US comparison to the Typhoon is probably the F-16s - which also still sells well. I wonder whether the Russian threat will cause more European air forces to pad out their numbers i.e. buying more F-16s or Typhoons rather than the more expensive (and flawed) F-35.