ANKARA, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Britain and Turkey signed adefence deal worth more than 100 million pounds ($125 million)on Saturday to develop Turkish fighter jets, opening the way todeeper cooperation over the lifetime of the project.
In Ankara to strengthen ties with Turkey as she navigatesBritain's departure from the European Union, Prime MinisterTheresa May hailed the deal, saying it showed "that Britain is agreat, global, trading nation and that we are open forbusiness".
The deal, announced by May and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, involves BAE Systems and TAI (Turkish AerospaceIndustries) working together to develop the TF-X Turkish fighterprogramme.
BAE Systems chief executive, Ian King, said the deal was thenext step in deepening defence cooperation.
"It will also pave the way for a deeper defence partnershipand could effectively make the UK Turkey's partner of choice,positioning it as a key aerospace technology exporter toTurkey," he said in a statement.
"The wider programme could see the UK win contracts toprovide engines, weapons, radars and sensors."($1 = 0.7971 pounds) (Reporting by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by David Dolan)
-1x Boeing (BAES)