First Turkish Eurofighter Typhoon Takes Shape at BAE Systems Factory

Major airframe assembly has officially begun on the first Eurofighter Typhoon multirole combat aircraft destined for the Turkish Air Force. British aerospace manufacturer BAE Systems confirmed that manufacturing of the initial aircraft's forward fuselage is actively underway at its advanced manufacturing and aerostructures facility in Samlesbury, Lancashire. The manufacturing milestone occurs approximately one year after Ankara finalised a procurement contract for 20 new-build Typhoon fighters, formally establishing Türkiye as the tenth operator of the European combat platform.

A senior delegation from the Turkish Air Force recently toured the Samlesbury manufacturing site to conduct an on-site quality inspection and review delivery schedules. BAE Systems officials briefed Turkish defense representatives on advanced machining operations, composite component fabrication, and automated structural joining techniques employed across the Typhoon production line.

Manufacturing Across European Consortium Partners

The production of Türkiye's Eurofighter fleet leverages the established industrial workshare architecture of the Eurofighter consortium, distributed across prime aerospace contractors in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain. While BAE Systems in the UK is responsible for assembling the forward fuselage section, foreplanes (canards), and the vertical tail fin at Samlesbury and Warton, other primary airframe assemblies are advancing concurrently across continental European partner sites.

In Germany, Airbus Defence and Space is currently manufacturing the center fuselage section for the same Turkish aircraft at its Manching facility near Munich. Meanwhile, Italian aerospace prime Leonardo is responsible for manufacturing the left wing and rear fuselage sections at its Turin aerospace plant, and Airbus Defence and Space in Spain produces the right wing structure in Getafe. Once structural sub-assemblies are completed and systems-tested, final assembly and engine integration with Eurojet EJ200 turbofans will follow the consortium's agreed delivery pipeline.

Turkish Air Force Modernisation Strategy

The Eurofighter procurement represents a pivotal interim and long-term capability boost for the Turkish Air Force. Facing aging inventories of legacy combat aircraft and evolving regional air defense requirements, Turkish defense planners selected the twin-engine, highly agile Typhoon to provide advanced beyond-visual-range air superiority and precision ground-attack capabilities.

Equipped with modern active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems, integrated defensive aid suites, and compatibility with advanced European munitions, the new aircraft will deliver immediate tactical overmatch. Dave Ward, BAE Systems' Vice President for Türkiye, noted that the Typhoon will serve as a vital pillar of the nation's frontline aerial defense, bolstering interoperability with NATO allies across the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea regions while domestic fighter development programs mature.

Expanding Global Typhoon Fleet Footprint

Türkiye's contract reinforces the ongoing production vitality of the Eurofighter Typhoon line well into the late 2020s. With more than 600 aircraft delivered to nine previous operator nations—including the four founding partner states alongside Austria, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar—the type continues to attract sustained international orders.

The progress at Samlesbury demonstrates Europe's collective aerospace industrial base responding directly to firm defense commitments. As forward and center fuselage structures proceed through robotic assembly cells and pre-outfitting stages, flight test integration and preliminary delivery handovers remain closely aligned with Türkiye's frontline operational timeline.