Despite the fact that the UK has no plans to purchase new Eurofighter Typhoon fighters for its own Air Force, the country's Ministry of Defense actively supports export deals involving these aircraft. This is due to the fact that the aircraft manufacturing plant in Wharton, where the Typhoons are assembled, must remain busy, and the production lines must work without stopping.
BAE Systems, the British partner of the European consortium Eurofighter GmbH, has been promoting Typhoons on international markets for a long time. However, there have been no recent new orders from the British military themselves. Instead, all attention is focused on finding foreign buyers in order to preserve not only production, but also the jobs associated with this project.
The Typhoon is one of the most famous fourth—generation fighters created by the joint efforts of Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain. It combines the capabilities of both an air combat fighter and a carrier for striking ground targets. However, with a shrinking budget and growing interest in the more expensive and technologically advanced F-35, the Typhoon now needs external demand to remain relevant in the military aviation market.
Several countries are currently showing interest in a possible purchase, including:
- Indonesia — in 2023 , it signed a preliminary agreement for the supply of 42 aircraft .
- Saudi Arabia and Qatar — both countries are already operating Typhoons and may expand the fleet.
- Negotiations are also possible with Greece, which has recently renovated its fleet, but does not exclude further purchases.
The British authorities emphasize that the export of Typhoons is not just the sale of weapons, but part of a broader strategy: keeping the defense sector in working order, supporting the country's export potential and strengthening ties with allies.
In addition, the Ministry of Defense sees this as an economic interest: saving jobs, developing a technological base and stimulating the defense sector, especially in regions where the aviation industry is one of the key employers.
If new contracts can be concluded, production at Wharton can continue until the 2030s, which will make it possible to safely plan the transition to new projects, including the upcoming sixth-generation Tempest fighter, which is under development.
Thus, the Typhoon remains an important part of the British aviation industry, even if the UK itself no longer buys them for itself. An active export policy allows not only to support business, but also to strengthen military cooperation with partners around the world.
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