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The Turkish government may be interested in buying Eurofighter Typhoon warplanes if its F-16 purchase request from the United States doesn’t progress, sources familiar with the issue told Middle East Eye.

Turkish Air Force Commander General Hasan Kucukakyuz last month visited the United Kingdom, the main producer in the Eurofighter consortium, and met Royal Air Force Commander Marshal Sir Mike Wingston.

Kucukakyuz also inspected the UK Quick Reaction Alert that flies with Typhoon aircraft.

“The Typhoons are very good, in excellent quality,” one source familiar with the internal considerations of the Turkish government told MEE.

“They could be a stop-gap option until we get the fifth generation and locally produced TF-X in our hands, of course, if we cannot get the F-16s.”

In September, Turkey sent a letter of request on 40 F-16s and 80 modernisation kits to the US government after getting kicked out of the F-35 programme more than two years ago due to its purchase of the S-400 Russian missile defence system.