The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) assessed the merits of providing Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 1 air superiority fighters to Ukraine “multiple times”, before the decision was taken to retain the fleet despite their impending withdrawal from UK service.
Throughout the UK’s support of Ukraine, in which it has provided billions of pounds of military and financial aid, the prospect of donating the 30 remaining Tranche 1 Typhoons operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) was mooted on multiple occasions, both in public parliamentary sessions as well as privately.
However, despite the planned withdrawal of the aircraft from the RAF later in 2025, thus being no part of the long-term planning for the service, MoD and government officials determined not to provide Ukraine with the fighters.
Instead, Ukraine will receive 61 US-designed F-16 fighters, provided by European Nato members.
In a 11 March parliamentary written response, UK Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard confirmed that discussions on the provision of Typhoon Tranche 1 to Ukraine had taken place.
“The Ministry of Defence has assessed the relative merits and downsides of donating Typhoon Tranche 1 jets to Ukraine multiple times,” Pollard stated.
Instead, Pollard said the UK is supporting the Ukrainian F-16 acquisition by providing basic flying and English language training for technicians and pilots that will operate the US-designed fighter. To date, 24 Ukrainian pilots have graduated from the Fast Jet Lead-in training under RAF guidance.
Failure to donate Typhoons misses export opportunity
The decision to not provide Ukraine with the 30 first-generation Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft appears at odds with the equipment donation strategy for platforms operating in other domains, with MoD stocks of multiple types of armoured vehicles given to Ukraine.
Similarly, small numbers of Sea King helicopters were also given to Kyiv, despite the type not being operated by Ukrainian military nor complementing a wider provision of the design by Nato forces.
Providing earlier Tranche 1 Typhoons to Ukraine could also have served to secure a prospective future export customer for the newer Tranche 3 variants in the years ahead.
Airbus has publicly stated the Eurofighter programme needs additional orders if it is to stay viable through to the 2040s, with European partners Germany, Spain, and Italy all acquiring or having new aircraft delivered in 2024. Only the UK failed to similarly support the programme last year.
The UK has yet to determine if it will acquire additional Tranche 3 Eurofighters, as it debates whether to further invest into the US-led F-35 programme instead.
