UK and Turkey sign multi-billion-pound air defence deal

The new contract ⁠covers UK-based training for Turkish ​pilots and ground crew as ​Turkey moves towards operating its first batch of British-built jets, Britain’s Ministry of ​Defence said in a statement.

Defence ​firms including BAE Systems (BAES.L) Leonardo UK (LDOF.MI), MBDA, ‌Rolls-Royce (RR.L), and ⁠Martin-Baker will supply components and training equipment.

Defence Secretary John Healey and Turkish Defence Minister Yasar ​Guler signed ​the agreement ⁠in London, which the British government said marked ​the next phase of ​Turkey’s ⁠entry into the Eurofighter programme and reinforcing NATO’s combat air capability ⁠on ​its eastern