The UK will not give Ukraine Eurofighter Typhoon fighters in any case
UK Defence Secretary Luke Pollard has officially confirmed that London is not considering the possibility of providing Ukraine with Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets in any case.
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These are Tranche 1 aircraft, which are the oldest in the Royal Air Force. In total, the UK has 30 of these aircraft, 26 of which are scheduled to be retired in 2025, and 4 more will remain in service until 2027.
The decision is justified by the fact that the UK is focused on supporting the F-16 transfer programme, as well as training Ukrainian pilots and technicians. Pollard said that 24 Ukrainian pilots have already undergone intensive training under the Fast Jet Lead-in programme, and a total of 200 Ukrainian military personnel have been trained in the UK.
Eurofighter Typhoon. Illustration: Wikipedia
Despite this, Ukraine continues consultations on the Eurofighter with other operators of the aircraft, including Germany, Italy and Spain. In September 2024, Ukraine's Defence Minister Rustem Umerov stated that negotiations were ongoing.
It is worth noting that, despite Britain's refusal, other European countries, including France, have found an opportunity to provide Ukraine with combat aircraft from their reserves. In 2024, Paris handed over Mirage 2000-5s to Ukraine, which had previously been planned to be written off.
The situation around Eurofighter in the UK itself remains unstable. London is not ordering new aircraft of this type for its own air force, which raises concerns about the loss of production competence and the future of the Tempest project, a sixth-generation fighter jet.
Source: Defence Express
