Filenews 24 October 2025
Turkey, which has previously criticized Greece for buying second-hand Rafale fighters, is now considering acquiring second-hand Eurofighter fighters. Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Qatar, with Ankara reportedly seeking to buy Doha's Eurofighter Typhoon to speed up the modernization of its Air Force.
Any resale of the aircraft requires the approval of all the countries of the consortium that developed the Typhoon – Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. Middle East Eye sources say the consortium is not opposed to such a deal.
Ankara is seeking to acquire 40 Eurofighters as a temporary 4.5-generation solution, until TF Kaan's domestic program is completed and the F-35s are acquired by the US. Bloomberg reported that Turkey is interested in Qatar's 24 Eurofighter Tranche 3A and another 16 Tranche 4. However, Reuters reported that the purchase of 12 used aircraft from Qatar and Oman is also being considered to meet immediate operational needs.
This move comes while Greece has already proceeded with a similar reinforcement with Rafale, initially acquiring 12 used and 6 new ones, while today it has 24 in total. In this context, the statement of former Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar in 2021 – "with a few used aircraft the balance of power does not change" – acquires particular irony.
The Greek Rafale, equipped with 120-mile Meteor missiles, offer a significant technological advantage over Turkey. At the same time, Greece is upgrading its F-16 fleet to Block 72 and has secured at least 20 F-35s by the end of the decade.
In contrast, Turkey is not expected to receive the new F-16 Block 70s or rejoin the F-35 program before the beginning of 2030. That is why it is turning to a Eurofighter "second-hand" to maintain a balance of power in the region.
Military analysts point out that the possible agreement will also include Meteor missiles, a fact that worries Greece and Israel, which is also operating in the Syrian FIR.
The Turkish Air Force is at a key crossroads, pursuing a total of 120 foreign-made fighters: 40 Eurofighters, 40 F-16 Block 70 and 40 F-35s. Qatar's Eurofighter 3A, although used, is considered in excellent condition and may soon fly over areas of tension such as the Aegean and Syria.
