![Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan makes a speech after Cabinet meeting in Ankara, Turkey on 3 January 2022. [Doğukan Keskinkılıç - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/20220103_2_51576920_72202693.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
The United Kingdom has denied that it is in talks with Turkiye over cooperation on the production of submarines, after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that it was this week.
At a speech by Erdogan in Istanbul on Tuesday, he stated that “the UK wants to cooperate with us on the construction of submarines” with the London-based news outlet Middle East Eye quoting a source as confirming that London was “interested in joint-production of uncrewed submarines with Turkey.”
According to the outlet Breaking Defense, however, a spokesperson for the British Royal Navy told it that “no one knows anything of these discussions [with Turkiye]”. That reportedly includes the UK’s Submarine Delivery Agency, Defence Nuclear Organisation, and shipbuilder BAE Systems.
In recent years, defence ties between London and Ankara have increased significantly, especially in the field of aerospace, with BAE Systems agreeing to work on the TF-X future fighter jet – dubbed the Islamic world’s first indigenous stealth fighter jet being jointly developed by Turkiye and Pakistan.
That project also has Britain’s Rolls Royce and Kale Group being amongst major industry competitors offering engines for the aircraft once it enters production, which is expected to be by 2025.